


Beastial

by ZeroApathy



Category: Original Work
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Blood and Violence, Bonding, Explicit Sexual Content, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Jealousy, Knotting, M/M, Mating Bond, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mating Rituals, Mpreg, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Possessive Behavior, Smut, Soul Bond, Soulmates, War, Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-20
Updated: 2019-10-31
Packaged: 2020-10-24 13:49:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 36,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20707046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZeroApathy/pseuds/ZeroApathy
Summary: Injured and made vulnerable to the mercies of the ground, a bird seeks a way home back to his tribe through enemy territory. Attracted by his scent, an outcast approaches him with an offer to assist behind gleaming fangs and amused feline orbs. An unorthodox and almost cruel fate looms ahead the moment they make contact, shaking both worlds to their cores.





	1. Contact

**Author's Note:**

> Couldn't help it. Here's another thing that escaped my mind. Just for clarification, the people here aren't furries in case anyone gets confused. Enjoy!

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

_ Fear is pain arising from the anticipation of evil — _ ** _Aristotle_ **

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

_ Savages. Disgusting brutes. Barbarians. _

_ Earthwalker filth. _

And yet here he was, being pursued by such filthy creatures like he was their prey, subjected to their caterwauling and barbaric jeers.

Leiss allowed his eyes to deviate from the way forward to the world underneath, only narrowly missing a projectile that was a hair's breadth away from clipping a wing. A grudging admiration blossomed in his breast at their tenacity, knowing the one they sought was airborne and would not make for an easy target. Even on their two legs, they still had the coordination and accuracy to propel projectiles at him—a steady barrage of stones and the much more dangerous (luckily infrequent) spear. It took all the skill he had as a flyer to dodge them in this dense sea of trees he found himself in, the canopy above blocking all but the stubbornest ray of sunlight. Devoid of feathers or any means to fly, his pursuers were still agile on foot and showed no signs of tiring. Such perseverance drew an anxious trickle of concern into Leiss's conscious. Not for himself, no.

But for those that had been escorting him and had stayed behind to distract the bigger portion of the enemy forces. Some of them had been friends. Some he knew since he was a fledgling.

Were they...were they safe?

A spear cut a crimson line along his face, the scent of blood sending those below into a hungry frenzy as they howled excitedly, baying for blood. There wasn’t any time to think of others no matter how much it pained him. Even so, he was beginning to feel the dreadful touch of exhaustion creep up on him; proud, honeycomb-brown wings were beginning to fill with lead with every beat and it was taking conscious effort to steer with tail feathers when such a thing was effortless normally. How long has it been? Since the sun stretched over the horizon? Too long. He needed to lose them or he wasn’t going to make it out of this alive.

Heart in his throat, Leiss urged his body on, mustering every iota strength he could to dodge and weave through over-arching foliage and branches hellbent on making his life difficult. The volley of projecticles underneath him grew lesser till there was none left. Hazel hues glanced down in suspicion—and yes he was still being followed by the Flightless Ones, not showing any of the signs of exhaustion that he was. Why did they stop? Conserving ammo perhaps? Whatever the case maybe, Leiss took this small mercy and let it encourage him to the point of complacency.

Shame how there was dangers in these small blessings.

The moment he let his speed dwindle just a little was the moment a spear lurched in his direction—from the front no less! He didn’t even have the time to wonder how till a sharp, terrible pain blossomed in the center of his right wing, causing him to lose his balance and fall. Fear and instinct collided and forced his body to react, seeking out anything to cling to as he descended from the place he knew as home to the sea of monsters below. But before he could truly reach the bottom to were death awaited, both of his hands were able to snag onto a thick branch strong enough to support his weight. From there he hung pitifully, trying to summon the strength to pull himself up to safety.

The noise underneath him grew into dizzying tizzy.

With the aid of his good wing, he managed to clumsily pull himself up onto the branch, panting while his bare chest quaked with fear. Mother above, was he to die here, like a lame chick stuck in a tree? Not allowing the fear to overtake him just yet, Leiss followed the shaft to where the point met with his wing, assessing the damage. Painful? Incredibly so, but at least it wasn’t buried to the hilt. Would he be able to fly once he removed it? Not if he didn’t want the savages to have a show _ and _ an easy meal. Still...it couldn’t remain there.

Gritting his teeth and praying to the Mother above, Leiss gripped the spear and yanked it out.

His cry was enough to almost quiet those underneath him, either intrigued by his agony or the light rain of blood-tinged feathers that floated below.

Trembling from his ordeal, Leiss allowed himself to lay up against the trunk of the tree to recuperate, allowing himself a moment to study the Earthwalkers determined to kill him.

It was currently only four of them—a fraction of the group that had ambushed him and his comrades. They seemed to all be of the same species (not that he particularly cared because an Earthwalker was just like any other Earthwalker) for they possessed furry ears atop varying lengths and styles of hair; sharp fangs; strong hands; and that strange furry appendage they called a tail. Canines his father would distinguish (know your enemy) but once again, they were all the same to him. They were rather muscular but a quick sniff identified them all as Alpha which was reason enough for their athleticism. Very smelly, violitle alpha. No wonder they didn’t tire. The new information caused the bird to try and relax his breathing and heartbeat as much as possible—there was no telling how these monsters would react to an Omega’s fear-scent. Not that it mattered honestly once he thought about it. His eyes had yet to leave them so he could only watch in morbid amusement as the dumb beasts circled the tree he was in, as if not sure how to approach it.

“How ya’ reckon we get it out of the tree?”

“I don’t know! Why don’t you climb the thing and figure it out?”

_ Now there was an idea_.

Despite the guttaural, strange dialect common to Earthwalker kind, Leiss was still able to understand them even if it took a moment longer than usual. A bundle of nerves bloomed in his stomach as he watched nervously as one of them grumbled before leaping into the air. He came a good measure up but gravity began to push him down until he was forced to wrap his body around the trunk. He didn’t fall down but he wasn’t going up either. It was a rather odd sight...yet the canine seemed uncertain how to proceed. When he looked up at Leiss, eyes a striking red, the bird could see nothing but a malicious hunger on his face.

Disgusted, Leiss took the spear that had wounded him and threw it aimlessly below.

Suffice it to say, he was more than shocked when an answering howl clashed against his sensitive ears.

“Shit! My foot! My foot! Bloody chicken got me foot!”

A brown-skin alpha was groaning as one of his comrades wretched the spear free from his foot so he can sit on the ground in misery, his hands dyed red in an effort to stem the bleeding. The canine that had been trying to figure out how to ascend the tree was back on the ground, sniffing at the wound like his fellow packmates till they all reached the same consensus. 

Cold fear gripped the bird’s heart at the weight of all their gazes. _ Calm down. They can’t reach me up here. There’s no way— _

_ Thunk _

Hazel orbs slowly glanced to his right where a nice sized rock had hit the bark next to his face. A warning shot maybe or just bad aim but his pursuers slings were trained on him, ready to pelt him with rocks till he fell down dead. He didn’t waste time getting to his feet, trying to find his balance and looking for another avenue of escape.

Another branch belonging to a different tree beckoned to him like a saving grace, wasting no time leaping to it, and breathing when the coarse material didn't snap under his bare feet. 

_ Stop taking extra portions when your dad isn’t looking, _ the voice of his best friend echoed in his head, trying to distract him. If his life wasn’t in peril, Leiss might’ve allowed himself a small smile. Still, he retained his momentum as he kept jumping from branch to branch, not covering as much ground as he would like. But as long as he remained in motion, the less likely he’d be killed by rocks.

The busy rush of water tickled his delicate ears followed by the delectable scent of fish, anxiety chasing away any pangs of hunger. A river would be an excellent way to lose his pursuers.

Hope urged him quicker while the filthy canines below him growled amongst themselves in that unrefined dialect of theirs, feeling his heart surge in his chest at the sight of a river bisecting the land in two. Harsh and wild as the current was, he didn’t let this deter him as he perched with as much grace as one could with an injured wing on the last branch of the treeline, eyeing the otherside forlornly. The beasts underneath him were quicker to reconvene, circling the tree predatorily as they eyed how to properly scale the obstacle to fetch their desired prey, spurred on by both righteous vengeance and a hunger for blood. 

It was almost as if fate was asking him did he prefer death by water or to be ripped apart by filthy savages.

The question didn’t really require any consideration.

_ Great Mother, lend me your wings. _

Lungs expanded as Leiss inhaled a great suction of air, wincing as he flared his wings and incurred a stab of pain for his efforts. The other side was elevated—cliff-like almost and his chance was zero to none. Out of his periphery, one of the canines had managed to make his way half way up the tree—the red eyed one, a bone knife in his mouth while lips were pulled into a malicious grin. There wasn’t any more time for deliberation.

The omega deafened himself to his racing heart and jumped, wings seeking warm air to carry him despite the nonstop, crippling pain stemming from the right one. But his equilibrium was messed up and his wings were not in rhythm and he was falling, falling faster than he would like.

Death never seemed so close…and yet—

Fingers dug desperately into a small protrusion big enough for him to latch onto with both hands, so close to the water that he could feel it lick at his toes. From the other side, he could hear the other beasts voicing their displeasure as their prey grew out of their reach, not daring to face an unstoppable force of nature that was running water. To think he had been so close to being caught by such monsters. Serves them right for underestimating him. Just because he was an omega didn’t mean—

A hairline fracture traveled up the little ledge he was holding on to, progressing into audible crack that made his eyes widen in dismay.

He barely had time to suck in a breath till he was sent splashing into the cold water underneath, helpless as a newborn babe.

The current was stronger than he thought; pulling him underneath over and over as he clawed desperately to the surface for sweet delicious air. Liquid filled his lungs for his efforts as he panicked, suddenly overcome with fear knowing that he didn’t know how to swim. He was a member of the eagle tribe after all—undisputed predators of the sky and not at all like their osprey brethren who often sought their food under murky depths. Oh how he dismissed the need to learn, hating how water clung to his feathers and weighed him down… It was only fitting that he would meet his end this way. 

The eyes of his enemy followed him as he was carried away, observing with varying measures of disappointment as he was whisked away to his fate. Was there also pity in their eyes? Ridiculous. Water must have already been diluting his brain. Regardless, he’d much prefer this over being made to die slowly in their hands, even if his conscious grew spotty from lack of oxygen and he continuously choked up a non-stop deluge of liquid.

Still Leiss struggled, like any cornered beast faced with death, growing weaker and weaker as the current swept him down to parts unknown. Even now, while death danced like a new mistress around him, he still wondered if his brethren had managed to thwart their attackers or was he too to meet them in the land beyond? And what of his family? His mother and father? What of…the one who he was betrothed to? The one who was to be his mate? Would he—

Before he could finish this desperate spiel of thought, his skull connected with a jutting rock and Leiss knew no more.

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

When Leiss came to, he couldn’t believe he was alive.

When he came to, it was a waking hell and his body was the fleshy embodiment of agony.

Arms trembled as he struggled to lift himself from the pebble-encrusted bank, overcome by a weakness that he’s never felt in his whole life. The clothing he was wearing and his feathers were drenched to the bone, weighing him down till he had to brace himself on his elbows. His mind spun along with his vision, skull an explosion of agony and disorientation as spots flickered across his vision. His bodily equilibrium was all over the place; his sense of smell was gone; and it seemed like he couldn’t hear anything that wasn’t water. Perhaps an aftereffect of his recent trauma. But…but he was alive right? Aching and hurting more than he thought feasible, but oh so much alive!

Leiss shuddered, smiling because he was alive to do so, because he had gotten away and all this pain meant he was irrevocably and wonderfully alive.

Without any indication or prompting, the young omega lurched to his side and retched the empty contents of his stomach, whimpering.

Maybe he was worse than he thought.

Feeling more weak after voiding his system, Leiss found himself curling up right were he woke, uncaring of the water lapping at his feet or how exposed he was to the elements. The darkness that has been creeping at the edges of his vision was sweet and welcoming and he didn’t resist when it claimed him once more.

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

Time was inconsequential considering Leiss didn’t have a perception of it once returning to the world of the living, body still in the same shape, this time with the sharp discomfort of hunger to accompany it. His body needed energy and that required sustenance. But hunting…hunting was out of the question. His body wouldn’t be able to procure the strength necessary to chase prey down… And on a more undisclosed note, Leiss wasn’t really adept at hunting without his wings—no raptor of the sky was. A rabbit would hear the clumsy stomping of his feet from a mile away as opposed to be swiftly killed by a fast predator descending from the sky. Certainly, you would think he could afford to fly for even a moment? No it was quite impossible.

A deveasted glance to his side and his wing was slumped in the telltale sign of broken uselessness atop the still painful puncture wound. He was a grounded bird made to look forlornly at the blue sea that was the sky. It would have been inconvenient had he been home among the tribe, sentenced to sitting around while his kin provided for him. But it would have been safe, surrounded by his people.

Here, there was no safety. No protection. He was vulnerable and helpless.

Eyes closed in near resignation before Leiss forced himself to crawl where water lapped delicately at the pebble shore, looking down into its shimmering surface.

Black rimmed eyes stared back at him, normally neat, short golden hair hanging limply in his face, making him appear gaunt and hopeless. He didn’t recognize the beast that stared back at him. Was he to die here in some strange territory, alone? As terrifying as the thought was, hunger chased away those thoughts temporarily upon seeing the shimmering silver of scales sparkling underneath the surface of the water. The morsels called to him, nearly drooling at the prospect of sinking his fangs into delicious sustenance.

Without much thought, he thrust a desperate hand into the water, yelling in frustration when he caught nothing but failure and disappointment.

“Dammit!”

He tried again.

And again.

_ And again. _

Each attempt was much more fruitless than the last, more desperate, more draining. His sea-fairing brethren made this look so easy and yet he couldn’t even catch one when they were right in his face. 

He was so…_so hungry_. And his body aches and pains were taking a toll on his psyche, exhaustion dragging him down back to the quiet darkness of unconsciousness.

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

When next he awoke, there were two fish laying neatly at his side.

Hunger made him reckless and soon he was tearing into the flesh of a remarkably easy meal, moaning in undisguised bliss as he felt instantly rejuvenated. Leiss couldn’t stop; licking at the thin bones for any lingering pieces of meat of both, tummy satiated for now. And with that, brought back his rationality.

Why had there been two perfectly caught fish waiting for him at his side? That could only mean—

Leiss stumbled to his feet, frightened and wary, looking everywhere for an unforseen threat.

“Up here, my feathered friend.”

The husky voice caused the bird’s heart to stop as hazel hues zero’ed in on the figure prostrated along the length of a singular branch. Gleaming, forest green eyes stared back at him from a lax face; a tail covered in glossy jet-black fur flickered lazily this way and that while triangular ears remained subtly alert in their display of indolence. He wore nothing but worn pants, leaving his lithe upper body for display. When he stretched, muscles coiled and rippled under his lightly tanned skin, forcing scars acquired over a lifetime to dance along the surface. The musk of pure Alpha invaded Leiss’s nostrils, so much more potent than the other's that had chased him before.

It was almost enough to bring him to his knees.

_ Almost _.

Every fiber in the golden-haired omega's body told him to look away in submission, bare his neck for scenting, to show he was pliant. But why? They weren’t even of the same species and yet…it took all that he had not to lose his mind like some heat-dazed fool. Sheer defiance caused him to meet that green-eyed gazed headon, a quiet snarl on his face at how they seemed to widen more in amusement. Nothing about this situation was funny and he longed to take to the sky and fly away. But his broken limb was a ghastly reminder and it throbbed reprimandingly in punishment.

“We are not friends, so don’t address me as such,” was Leiss curt reply, biting and venomous if not just bluntly antagonistic.

Not deterred in the slightest by the animosity, the feline grinned at him. 

_ Why, what big fangs you have— _

“You ate the fish I left you.”

Suddenly, the meal he had enjoyed seemed to make him feel nauseous, his pale skin taking on an unhealthy pallor. “I didn’t have a choice! I was desperate and…”

“Starving?” the cat offered lightly, nothing about his tone mocking. And Leiss disliked him more for it.

“I didn’t have a choice.” He repeated firmly, warily. “What fool helps his enemy?”

It was here that the cat rose from his relaxed position, sitting up, tail dangling idly in the air. The amusement was gone and in its place was a seriousness that seemed oddly ill-fitting. His scent grew more oppressive and the blond had to swallow a couple of times to keep his bearings. _ My sanity _ whispered something dark from the recesses of his mind.

“You are no enemy of mine.”

Simple and sweet, the answer was no less shocking and Leiss recoiled, staring up at the other with a healthy mixture of shock and disbelief. What was this Earthwalker playing at it? “Your…you're not serious are you?”

“Quite serious.” The grin was back and so were the fangs.

“What world do you live in? How can you not know—”

“No, you need to ask yourself that question. Take a look at your surroundings.”

It was here that he gestured practically at their environment, at the towering trees and the gentle flow of the river that had carried him down here. At how the scents of prey seemed oddly scare (no squirrels, no rabbits, and maybe a hint of deer if you squinted); at how the air was bizarrely still and quiet. Something was off about this place; the hair on the nape of his neck rose and he resisted the urge to wrap his arms around himself. He wouldn’t…wouldn’t show this Earthwalker any weakness. But a part of him wanted the comfort of an Alpha, even if was from him.

_ So disgusting. _

“This is the Forest of Outcasts. Home to whatever manner of beast that holds no allegiance to anyone but themselves. The rules are quite different here.”

The other’s voice snapped him out of his reverie. Despite saying he owed no loyalty to anyone, his voice was rough with the heavy dialect of the Earthwalkers, reminding Leiss this was not a friend, amiable as he seemed to be. “Why are you telling me this? Why are you even helping me? Surely it can’t be in your best interest to help a complete stranger?”

“We don’t have to be strangers,” he countered smoothly, his tail twitching faintly with excitement.

Repulsed, Leiss sneered at the implication, taking an aggressive stance. “You think I would lower myself as to mate with some nameless Earthwalker like you?”

Perhaps it was the prejudice that stirred him or the bird's willingness to resist him but he was roused from his spot in the tree, landing gracefully on his feet as he took a step towards the uncomfortable omega. Despite the attack against his integrity, the feline didn’t seem insulted, merely curious as he upraised the other upon becoming closer. The scent grew to near unbearable levels even at this distance, forcing Leiss back, a whimper at the back of his throat.

“My name is Erik.”

Green eyes met blazing, hard gold ones, the sincerity behind them disarming.

“I don’t mean you any harm and I understand why you would think that. But my intentions are sincere. I can help you—your're hungry and exposed. Hurt too. I can help you—”

“I don’t need your help. Don’t come any closer!” Leiss snarled as the one called Erik took a step closer, body screaming despite his aggressive display. It took all that he had not to crumple like a doll without its master. And he was so very tired. So very pained. “You will not distract me with your false promises. Leave me! I can make due without your help—I’m not as helpless as I seem. I assure you, you will learn this the hard way if you come any closer.”

Maybe he could see the omega wasn’t just bluffing or maybe he was tired of having his honesty being thrown back into his face, but Erik stopped advancing on Leiss as he grunted, scoffing in displeasure. That sincerity in verdant eyes was gone, replaced by a cool stoicism. He looked every part the indifferent alpha as he turned to leave, having grown tired from the whole charade. Before he left through the bushes, he had only one thing to say, a warning as clear as the day:

“You will find the other occupants of this forest not nearly as friendly as I. I wish you luck, my feathered friend.”

An almost childish declaration of “I’m not your friend!” almost left his lips but the encounter had expended all his energy and he was on his knees faster than he could draw breath. His body trembled at his foolishness for rejecting the possibility of help but his mind coldly reasoned it had all been a farce. That beast had no intentions of helping him. Perhaps, he had been seeking an easy target to slake his carnal desire. Repugnant as the thought was, Leiss was an unmated omega—he was aware of what reaction his scent caused in a alpha. But he hadn’t been aware it affected those outside of bird kind, which was where his nausea came from. To imagine being forced upon by one of those Earthwalkers; it was enough to rob Leiss of all the heat in his body.

He needed to get out of here before he was preyed on in more ways than one.

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

It was dark and the moon had lent its ethereal glow as light when Leiss finally decided it was time to go.

His energy didn't recover as well as he would’ve hoped and he was prone to bouts of dizziness and confusion. The broken wing on his back still hurt but a small investigation earlier told him it was a clean break and it would heal in a fortnight or so if he was lucky. The attempt from earlier dissuaded him from wasting energy trying to catch fish—he simply was not good at it. A quiet promise had been made to visit his osprey brethren to properly learn the technique when he got home.

_ If _ he got home.

_ There’s no point thinking like that. I have to get out of here. _

Shakily, using the tree he had been leaning against as support, Leiss rose to his feet with a sound of pained displeasure. Giving a cursory sweep of the eerily quiet area he had washed up on, the eagle departed into the woods unknown.

A sense of weirdness encumbered him as he treaded as quietly as he could through the underbrush, not really having any sense of direction in where he was going. It was unnatural to be traveling on foot when he was so used to flying at his leisure. An appreciation for his natural ability fizzled in his chest as a result. Hopefully at the end of this ordeal, he would still remember how to even fly. Of course it was like breathing to him; but his current state of being invited these negative thoughts and he forced his mind to blank them out.

It would just slow him down.

A gust of cold air ruffled his feathers and breached the skin underneath his shirt. Was it typical for the nights to be chilly here? And why was it so dark? During the day, his vision was impeccable as it was required for any hunter of the skies. But at night, he was virtually blind. His eyes couldn’t penetrate the deep darkness that seemed to stretch on forever. Did this place even have an end? It would be so much easier if he could simply fly—

_ Snap._

His vision was lackluster in the dark but his hearing was as sharp as ever throughout all times of the day.

A golden head twisted in the direction of the sound, tasting the scent in the air on the tip of his tongue, nostrils flaring. Hunger, excitement, and a suffocating musk made his face twist in repulsion, the smell of something unpleasant.

Instinct forced his weary body to prepare to run but a weight crashed into his back, sending him crashing into the ground with a cry of agony.

_ My wing! My wing—hurts so much! _

“Where are you going, birdie?”

The voice was gleeful and smug, the breath that accompanied it foul and rank as it brushed against his cheek. The beast pinning him down was heavy yet unnaturally gangly, discerning from scent alone that it was an Alpha and a Earthwalker all at once. But it was unintentionally pressing its knee into his broken wing in an effort to pin him down, drawing screams from his throat till it grew hoarse and raspy.

“Sshhh why are ya making so much noise? I’m not gonna hurt cha. Maybe a nibble here. Yes, yes a nibble…” The beast above him broke out into gastly giggles, drowning out the pained noises coming from underneath it. But it stopped abruptly, leaning down to nuzzle sun-kissed locks, moaning lecherously. Leiss almost felt the need to retch between the agony in his back and the closeness of this savage. “O-Omega…? Here? In this forest? A treat, yes a treat. My treat. _ Only mine _.”

Suddenly he was flipped till he was laying on his back and Leiss lashed out with his legs, a measure of satisfaction brewing in him at the pained yelp that answered him. But he hardly had time to luxuriate in his victory or try to escape when his wrist were immediately pinned above him, pillowed by the soft feathers of his wings, the broken one included. Again his agonized cries renewed and tears pricked at his vision, glaring hatefully at the yellow, irritated orbs above him.

A jagged smile leered frighteningly above him, promising terrible things. Crimson trickled from a semi crooked nose, glistening against fair, rough skin. Dirt-brown, floppy ears was nestled in a nest of wild brown hair while a bushy tail swept the ground in anticipation. A mere loincloth covered his genitals but it hardly disguised the obvious outline pressing against the fabric.

Leiss eyes widened in horror, heart beating a mile a minute. 

This can’t be happening.

“Bitch should be obedient. Bitch should lay down and take Alpha’s knot. Like good omega. _ Yes… _ ,” the canine hissed as it pressed its face against the hollow of the blond’s neck, getting a face full of the omega’s scent gland. He moaned lustfully at the sweet tang of omega pheromones coated in fear, his own coming out in response, all excitement and need. The young male quivered in disgust underneath him, his noises choked whimpers of distress and pain. _ Please…this can’t be happening _. Raped by some dog in some forsaken place like a piece of meat.

Rough, overeager hands tore his shirt after growing frustrated by the careful lacing at the back, exposing his milky chest to the elements.

The canine paused, surprised.

“Male omega? Never seen before… Hmm, yes…you will still pup good. So good.”

Leiss flinched as the beast began to paw clumsily at his body, greedily getting a feel for his skin and marveling at its smoothness. The moment it dared to go lower he gave a desperate buck of his hips, trying to dislodge the other from his position but that only seemed to arouse the alpha further, detecting a sharp peak of arousal in heavy pheromones. It was stifling, the sheer presence of it, clouding his mind in a thick fog of confusion and panic as his body reacted negatively to its presence. _ Incompatible _ his body screamed at him. Not right. _ Not worthy _. Mind and body were in agreement; his body refused to be incited by outside stimulus; refused the tongue that lapped sloppy at his neck; refused the growls of lust demanding reciprocation.

The blond sneered viciously at the Alpha forcing his way on him, baring his fangs challengingly. Inflamed by his defiance, alpha pride rightfully pricked, the canine cracked his hand across Leiss's face.

His head snapped to the side, a line of red following after as he stared at nothing, dazed, the taste of blood overpowering in his mouth.

“Not gonna submit to me like good omega?” The dog huffed, vaguely annoyed.

Those eyes regained a decorum of focus for a hot moment before he spat a globule of blood onto the alpha's face.

Again he was struck, harder this time, a stillness about him as blood trickled out the corners of his lips. The canine giggled darkly and licked the corner of his mouth, moaning at the sweet taste of distressed omega. “I’ll have you. Yes, breed you anyway. Keep you forever.”

Faintly he registered that hot breath tickling his throat until it was abruptly gone along with the grip on his wrists, reeling at the taste of freedom as he scrambled backwards instinctively to get away. What—

Not to far off was his attacker on his knees, clawing pathetically at the death grip around his throat as he was deprived of oxygen slowly. Oh so slowly.

Glowing, forest-green hues gleemed from beneath a wild curtain of jet-black hair, meeting his own savagely.

_ Erik_, Leiss mouthed in awestruck disbelief, unable to comprehend why he was being helped for the second time that day.

The feline’s gaze tore from his as he squeezed harder on the rivaling alpha’s airpipe while his fingers dug into the flesh underneath the beast’s chin and started to _ pull back_. The screams made the omega’s skin crawl but he couldn’t tear his eyes away as blood began to pour down a quivering throat, the jumbled pleading intertwined with the howling and choking sounds coming for oxygen deprival. But Erik didn’t hear or he simply didn’t care, lips twisted into a feral grin as the sinewy muscles in his arms bulged with effort. Fingers had hooked underneath the jaw through bone and flesh. Howls turned into squeals of torment till a fleshy, wet, _ cracking _ noise cut them off permanently.

In Erik’s hand was the bottom half of the other’s jaw, a sanguine, macabre prize within glistening digits. 

He said not a word as he released his opponent, slumping on the ground unmoving as a tongue lolled distended from a bottomless mouth, the earth drinking in the pool of crimson greedily.

Leiss had made not one sound. Had not looked away from the brutal display. Had not made a move to stop it when his would-be rapist squealed like a stuck pig for his life.

Did that…make him terrible?

So stunned by what he saw, he hadn’t noticed that Erik had crouched next to him till the cloying scent of blood and Alpha winded him, fear rooting him to the spot. Perhaps he could see it on his face or even taste it in his scent but Erik did his best to be as non-threatening as he could with his fingers still coated in the blood of his opponent and his own pheromones still dripping with battle lust. 

Very carefully, as if coaxing a skittish rabbit, he said, “Are you okay? You’re bleeding…”

“I-I’m fine!” Even as his voice trembled and his traumatized wing screeched at him, Leiss’s gaze was steady and unflinching, wiping away the blood with the back of his wrist. The scrutiny and patience behind that cool green-eyed gaze was unbearable and Leiss let out a tired and even quieter, “…Thank you.”

The feline said nothing but there was no mistaking the pleased curl of that lean tail.

“Why do you continue to help me? I don’t see how this benefits you in anyway.” Leiss sounded as lost as he actually was, not understanding the motivations that drove this beast. 

Erik studied him intently for a moment, considering his question. Realizing that he was divested of a shirt and he was in the presence of an alpha, he crossed his arms self-consciously over his torso in a vain attempt to cover up. Was that a flicker of amusement he detected in those eyes?

“I like your scent.”

Leiss immediately tensed, staring at the feline with the same wariness from earlier. Whatever scathing remark that had formed on his tongue died open seeing the blood on Erik’s hand. _ Such a strong alpha,_ that dark voice purred within the recesses of his mind, causing him to flush mildly at the warmness that enveloped his body upon it giving it’s approval.

_ More like savage. _

“I cannot ignore it no matter how much I try, and I’m compelled to do things I don’t even understand myself.” He seemed equal parts mystified and intrigued. Leiss was finding it hard to actively _ not _ believe him. Still, he was rather stubborn.

“That’s rather…convenient.”

Erik shrugged, wiping his hands on the grass below in order to finally clean them of the off-putting sheen. “Believe what you will. I just…follow my instincts.”

“Hmph.”

_ Silence_, then:

“Can I have your name?”

Leiss blinked at him, moderately surprised. How would that information serve him in anyway? Well he did save his life (twice now); it was the least he could do, even if it made him uncomfortable. “…Leiss,” he offered reluctantly, steadily holding his gaze.

Then he did something Leiss didn’t expect:

He offered his hand, fairly clean of the crimson liquid that had covered it like a red glove. A strange, uncommon gesture…at least when made to an omega from an alpha. A gesture of respect, of equality.

Suffice it to say Leiss was baffled, staring at the offered appendage akin to someone wary of an approaching prank. “Why?”

“Be my friend, Leiss,” Erik insisted firmly but gently, eyes stunning jade jewels. “I promise I can treat your wounds and protect you. Make sure you’re safe and your belly is full of warm prey.”

“It sounds like your propositioning me..._again_.” An echo of his earlier words and he was no less annoyed than when he last spoke them.

“It’s not like that.”

“Then you should work on your wording.”

A sigh then in an even quieter voice he uttered, “Am I really unworthy to help you? Will you let your prejudices affect your view of me?”

Tired hazels beheld the furry black ears and the restless tail; beheld the hand that ripped a beast's very jaw from his head; beheld the strange allure of green eyes and the aroma of that overwhelming scent. Erik had already proved that he was more than capable of doing all the things he said…but how was he to place his trust in the kind that regularly attacked and killed his people? It was against his very nature but…he knew in his gut he would not make it out of this place alive without this beast’s assistance. And if all he required was friendship from him, superficial or not, then he didn’t have any reasonable arguments against it. 

Feeling all his defenses crumble, Leiss said with a touch of despair in his tone, “I want to go home.”

“Then let me help you.”

Steady, rocksolid, confident—Erik could have told him the sun would fall out the sky tomorrow and he would be hard pressed not to believe him with that infallible persuasion of his. Again...what choice did he have?

Feeling oddly detached from his body, Leiss watched as his hand reluctantly clasped the other and his whole world flipped upside down at the contact.

It was like his sudden being exploded; all his senses going into overload; every nerve crackling with electricity and _ purpose _. An awareness of the other’s presence—one that was so very different from the one he was experiencing—enhanced till he was aware of a strong, rhythmic noise that danced along a familiar tempo so akin to his own—

_ Ba-bump _

Great Mother above he could hear it—the sound of Erik’s heartbeat like it was dwelling in his own chest. Could smell the singular elements that composed his own unique scent: wood, fire, and a savory smell that had no name. He could feel the pulse and throb of his veins circulating his lifeblood through his palm; could feel something wild and gentle and fractured brush along Leiss’s most inner parts, the closest thing he could liken to his very soul. He could feel it, _ inhale it, _ dive into like there was no physical separation between the two. Like there was no I but only a _ we. _ Within this explosion of feeling and thought, everything just made _ sense _ in that single instance of time—and he knew Erik knew and was feeling everything as intensely as the omega.

And it scared him. Scared him so very much.

A strange, choked sound escaped pink lips as Leiss severed that connection in terror, taking back his hand and immediately feeling all his energy desert him. Blackness rushed in an all consuming tide and for once he welcomed it, running from the voice that called his name and the rhythmic lull of a heart synchronizing with his own.

  
  



	2. Alone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow! I thank a lot more people ended up liking this more than I thought! Thanks for all the comments and kudos and everything! :3 Now my gift to everyone who liked this: an extra long chapter! Enjoy haha!

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_ Then stirs the feeling infinite, so felt In solitude, where we are least alone. _ ** _— Lord Byron_ **

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Heat enveloped his body like a cocoon of flame, both equally unpleasant yet oddly comfortable. The reality of the situation hit Leiss when he jerked up—the movement causing him to wince at jarring some unagreeable body parts—and looked down to see he was laying on a bed of furs. On closer inspection, they were the pelts of many different prey animals; a show of skill if you wanted to acknowledge it as such but Leiss wasn’t particularly pleased to give credit where credit was due. He didn’t need to think hard about who gathered these items or who they belonged to.

After all, the scent belonged to the unique musk of an Alpha who had saw fit to save him (twice) and spirit him away to only the Mother knows where.

If he had to take an educated guess going off all the personal items scattered about (fairly organized he had to grudgingly admit); the well-lived indications of the place; and that dizzily, overpowering scent, it was safe to assume this was Erik’s home. He lived in a cave…wonderful. Being a denizen of the sky, Leiss couldn’t quite see the appeal out of making a home out of such a naturally claustrophobic place (it was big if he allowed himself to be fair). Or make a home on the ground period—it was just inviting trouble and Leiss was exhausted enough to say he could do with a little less trouble lately and more recuperation if possible.

Bizarrely enough, his body hurt a lot less then when—

A sharp pain stabbed belatedly in the back of his skull, causing him to clutch his head, teeth gritted. Perhaps he spoke too soon. Certain physical aspects of himself was still recovering but upon sitting up and stretching out his lame wing as much as his pain tolerance would allow, he noticed that even that was coming along. Upon closer inspection, sifting through feathers in a motion akin to preening, he noticed a green poultice-like substance that had dried over where he got speared. He dabbed a finger in it, bringing it closer so he could get a good sniff, and snorted when he couldn’t identify anything individually. It smelt bad that’s for sure, but he wasn’t stubborn enough not to acknowledge that it nulled the pain down to an uncomfortable itch.

Did Erik do this? Obviously. Why did he do this? Not the faintest clue. He realized quite fast trying to understand the motivations or reasons why that strange beast did the things he did was a pathway leading straight to madness. Leiss valued his sanity—thank you very much. Still, that did leave the question as to where was his unconventional "savior"? He hasn’t seen him since that night when—

And all the memories came back in a vertiginous rush of emotions and pure sensation, stirring the connection that had frightened him that night into a muted hum.

Erik was not here but he was  _ aware _ of him. Aware of his presence. His emotions. The steady, strong pulse of his heart—Leiss was simply aware of everything and he didn’t know how to make it stop. 

And Erik could feel him too. There was nowhere to hide.

Leiss let out a choked whimper, wrapping his arms around his legs so he could bury his face in his knees, trying to dive back into the darkness that protected him from the impossibility of his new reality.

_ Please, go away. _

At his behest, the connection lowered to a faint whisper, eidolic and hushed, but still ever present. And so strong.

Maybe he was hallucinating; pain and trauma did strange things to the mind, made up things to better cope with difficult situations. That must be it. This was all just a consequence of recent events—it had to be. Even as he knew of Erik’s approach before, he could hear his lighter-than-air footfalls; could feel the delight (among other things) at knowing Leiss was awake before it was conveyed in his scent; the bird was resolute to dismiss this as strange. imaginary things. 

Regardless, that didn’t stop wary hazel hues from fixating on the mouth of the cave, expecting a silhouette to block out the rays of the sunlight any moment now. Yet instead of directly entering from the center, the feline came from the side of the entrance, quietly and without a word. On his shoulder was the carcass of a young buck that had yet to fully grow its majestic crown (the velvet still clung around them stubbornly), neck twisted at an odd angle indicating the cause of death. Its frightened, unseeing eyes were upon him even as it was dropped heavily in front of a fire pit, weirdly unnerving. Did it share the same agonizing death that Alpha did when Erik had ripped out its jaw? Did it suffer? As if seeking answers to his idle thoughts, Leiss hesitantly sought the eyes of the beast that was a source of contention for him.

They stared back at him with smoldering intensity, all-consuming in their depths as he struggled not to get lost in them.

Everything about him screamed Alpha to all five of his senses; the visual appeal of sinewy muscles flexing underneath warm skin; the salty earthiness of sweat from a successful hunt tickling his nose and tempting his tongue; how he could hear and feel the powerful cadence of his heart beating faster with anticipation. Anticipation for what alluded him blissfully.

He couldn’t move underneath the weight of that stare that seemed intent on devouring him  _ whole _ . A part of him wanted to submit, keening for this perfect alpha specimen to do things to him that he dared not imagine even during one of his most painful heats. But his body could; a hazy fog of confusing want and blistering heat suffused his body till he was literally panting with the weight of his desires. It secreted into his scent, into the connection that he was trying so hard to deny that existed.

And Great Mother above, Erik  _ answered _ . 

An echoing pulse thrummed through Leiss with enough strength to rob him of his wits (whatever was left of them anyway), and suddenly the other was over him with the full brunt of his presence. Weakness threatened to rob the blonde’s limbs of strength, but sheer will power alone kept his arms from buckling as he leaned back on them. Erik was so close he could feel the heat of his body rolling off him in waves, could see the handsome lines of his face and the individual specks of darker green swimming within the lighter shade of his irises. And here he was helpless; could hardly fight the thrall his body was in combined with the loud compulsion of that cursed connection, singing madness to him.

_ Matematemate _

Nothing more than a panting mess of out-of-control omega instinct, Leiss bore his neck in confused submission, wanting something that had no name.

Erik leaned in close—not to bury his face in his throat as expected, but to hover next to a slightly pointed ear till his warm breath was caressing the duo of feathers mounted behind them. Calloused fingers enveloped his own, fire igniting his blood at the contact. When he spoke, his words reverberated all throughout his core, his own voice rising to join the chorus within their link:

_ “I can feel you.” _

A tortured whimper spilled from Leiss's lips. Broken. On the cusp of falling over the edges of clouded submission. An admission of desire almost left his lips in response, whatever remnants of himself still floating around smothering it coldly before it could see the light of day. But Erik had  _ felt _ it; hand reaching out the same way the ephemeral heat of his…his  _ soul _ reached out to touch his. Tentative, almost shy—a direct contrast to the self-assuredness of the beast in the flesh. It brushed against his in askance, desperate and surprisingly lonely. So lonely.

Leiss almost relinquished himself till he regained his sanity in a cold burst of clarity—

This beast was an Earthwalker. And he was already intended for someone else.

Harshly, Leiss smacked Erik’s hand away and crawled back, glaring despite the shallowness of his pants. Despite how his scent betrayed the involuntary willingness within him.

“ _ Enough _ .”

That infernal connection became muted again, the chorus of feeling and sensation coming to an end. Forest-green hues flashed with an unidentified emotion before they became unreadable, almost withdrawn. “Leiss—”

“You will not approach me in that way again. Am I clear?”

“You—”

“Am I clear?” The eagle reaffirmed coldly, eyes narrowing on the feline as he rubbed his hand where he was struck. He didn’t receive a verbal response, so he took the thin silence between them as agreement, finally releasing the tension from his body when Erik went back to the deer he had brought in earlier. There was an irritated flick to his tail and Leiss was beginning to understand that was how the other conveyed any emotion that hadn’t been displayed on his face. Whether this was meant to phase him in some way he wasn’t sure, but he paid it no mind, too busy with regaining his composure.

How did this happen? All he did…was look at him—and maybe he did have a stray thought or two but that shouldn’t have been enough to cause him to lose control like that. Again, Leiss felt the fear from the night prior at the alien sensation of having  _ whatever _ this was with Erik. All his emotions were laid bare and he was uncomfortably privy to the feline’s feelings as consequence. There was no way to make it stop—even now, quiet as it was, bits of information filtered through this terrible connection, telling him things he would have no knowledge of unless Erik told him. 

A current example would be how he was frustrated with Leiss. The reason why was there but he chose to ignore this, not willing to open himself up further to find out that information. The whole thing shouldn’t even be possible; nothing like this has ever been documented in their history. No mention of it in song or tale. Well at least, not avian kind. Was this some bizarre Earthwalker nonsense? Erik did seem oddly accepting of this…whatever it was. Maybe even welcoming of it he allowed himself to be presumptuous.

Suspicious, Leiss trained his gaze onto Erik’s back, the twitch of furry ears indicating he was aware that he was being watched. A knife was in his hand, divesting the prey animal of its fur with practiced ease till he had a bundle wrapped up perfectly under his arm. Again, Leiss was reminded that the other was an established hunter and for the sake of peace of mind, he ignored the feeble, weak part of him that purred in interest. Staying here longer than necessary would rob him of any rational thought it would seem. Quietly, he sent a prayer to the Mother for a fast recovery.

Having nothing else to do, the blond quietly observed Erik for the next couple of moments as he procured two flat items with smoothed surfaces from a hollow in the wall. He sat them next to the skinless buck and with a different knife, proceeded to slice generous portions of the creature’s flesh, stacking them up on items. Ah, they were plates, made from polished, weathered rock. Perhaps he wasn’t a complete savage then.

“Hungry?”

Leiss blinked up as Erik approached, offering one plate politely. A lingering feeling of discomfort almost made him say no but his stomach reminded him he was being unnecessarily difficult. At least he could say the other’s scent was beginning to become more tolerable. That or he was getting used to it. He didn’t know which option he preferred. “Yes, I suppose.”

Erik nodded in approval when hesitant fingers took the slab, taking a seat across from him on the furs. “Well you should be. You’ve been asleep for two days now.”

Stunned, Leiss became momentarily distracted from the food. “W-What? How?”

“I don’t know. It was after we touched—”

“Don’t say it.”

Black brows furrowed in consternation. “Why not? Shouldn’t we talk about this?”

“About what? There is nothing to discuss.” Leiss knew he was being unpleasant, especially so since he was playing (quite badly) the part of an ignorant beast. But fear made him irrational and he refused to acknowledge this nuisance between them in actual conversation. To verbalize meant to make something real and that was unacceptable. To further his point, he took a piece of meat and bit into it, eyes widening in genuine surprise at how tender and juicy the cut was. Erik had served him the tenderest part of the deer.

An uncomfortable wave of guilt churned in his gut at how difficult he was being, but he didn’t apologize, offering a small smile as consolation instead. “Thank you, this is really good.”

Brows furrowed more if possible and the feline looked like it took all that he had to refrain from saying something untoward. Conceding (for now), he accepted the compliment with an easy grin of his own, tail curling at the praise. “You’re welcome. Just let me know if you want more—there’s plenty.”

Leiss eyed his still full plate then at Erik’s for comparison. He was sure it had been piled high moments ago. “This should be fine. My stomach doesn’t require much to be full.”

Taking in his slighter form, Erik nodded his agreement and they descended into a less strenuous silence as they ate. Leiss was more deliberate and conservative while he dined, taking thoughtful mouthfuls to savor the taste and the still lingering warmth from a fresh kill. In contrast, his hungry companion inhaled his food with the voracity of a starved beast and was active in getting more. It must have just been an Alpha thing—the appetite that is. Even back home, the alpha’s in the tribe ate much more, enough for three beasts honestly. Where did it go? Leiss had no clue but he figured all those muscles needed to be sustained somehow. It would make sense the same could be applied to Erik here. Excluding the unrefined way he ingested the food that is.

Yes, that could use some work.

Leiss was still nibbling on his food the next time Erik spoke, wiping a dribble of blood from the corner of his mouth. “So…how come I found you washed up by the river?”

A pause, then a careful, “I was being chased by beasts that intended to do me harm and ended up falling into a river while trying to escape.”

“Why were they chasing you?”

“We are enemies, so I suppose it’s only natural.”

It would seem Erik’s curiosity wouldn’t be satiated there for he asked, “Where were you going? By yourself no less? I thought birds tended to travel together in…flocks was it?”

“Who said I was alone? I—” Leiss cut himself off with a light sigh, giving Erik a peculiar look, his lips fighting between a grimace and a frown. “It’s not really any of your business.”

Nonplused, Erik replied evenly despite this, “No I suppose not. I guess I just wanted to know if I knew any of those beasts chasing you.”

“Well you could have—you all look the same honestly so I wouldn’t know.”

It was like someone stepped on his tail from the way the onyx-colored appendage fluffed up, lashing angrily behind him. The features that composed Erik’s face were affronted, eyes narrowed in a mild show of indignation. Leiss couldn’t quite understand why considering he had spoken honestly. And maybe that’s what made the other relax a little after seeing it was a comment made from ignorance instead of spite. Assuaged for the time being, the familiar amusement eased away those hard lines from earlier.

“What manner of beast do you think I am?”

Was this a trick question? Leiss put down his plate, so he could cross his arms, deciding to play along for now. “Some type of Earthwalker?”

“Is that how your kind refers to mine?”

Well it was derogatory, but Erik didn’t need to know that. “Yes, most of the time.”

Green eyes seemed to glow at this new information. Encouraged and just a smidge playful he asked, “So you’re not aware that their are different species of beast that live on the ground?”

“Well yes…my father has told me of qualities that make you different. Are you…a cat, I think?”

“ _ A cat _ , he says…,” a low, husky chuckle slipped past smirking lips as Erik moved a little closer. He grabbed his tail, holding the willful thing closer so confused hazels could inspect in detail. As a hint, he gestured to the tuft of coarser black fur that dwelled on the end. “In a sense, but that’s pretty broad. What kind of cat do you think I am?”

Giving this some more consideration, Leiss once again glanced at the flickering ears and tail. He bit his lip in surprise when he noticed something else. “It's hard to tell because your fur is so dark but…I think you have spots? I wasn’t aware that cats had spots.”

For some reason, that comment caused the alpha to freeze, all traces of amusement leaving his being. Something like despair filtered through their muted connection and Leiss squeezed his knees reactively in distress before he caught himself, admonishing. Ignoring the obvious tells from that unspeakable thing, Erik did look a little unhappy, and his eyes were trapped in a past Leiss could not see. Not quite knowing what to say, the eagle ventured awkwardly, “Erik?”

“Huh?”

“The spots…?”

“Right.”

Some uncomfortable glances in his direction and Leiss was just going to dismiss this whole thing till Erik spoke again, his voice barely above a whisper:

“My father is a lion. My mother was a jaguar. I’m a…a…”

“A Halfling?” The blond finished softly, a touch of amazement and curiosity brightening his features. At the displeased nod, well-natured inquisitiveness overcame him, “How did your parents—”

“That’s a story for another time, I'm afraid… You still hungry? I can get you some more before I go about preserving it.”

Startled by the abrupt change of subject, Leiss could only manage a stuttered “N-No” before Erik had gathered the plates and set them off to the side(perhaps for later cleaning). For once, he could feel nothing but immutable silence coming from Erik and he wondered if the other had closed his feelings from him completely. Not that he minded—a return to normalcy was welcome—but it was a big difference to the openness he expected from the other. Was his halfling status really such an adverse topic for the alpha? Granted it was a bit of a taboo—you simply didn’t mate with one not of your own kind.  _ Diluted blood _ his father would say. Nothing good would come of it or even that the Great Mother (in all her love and benevolence) would not approve of such a union. And yet, it was interesting this view was shared by their enemies. Maybe they had more in common with each other than he thought…

Or, perhaps he was just being squirrel-brained to even think they shared similarities with their enemies at all.

Regardless, he decided to kill this line of thinking before it grew too convoluted, feeling a lethargy set upon him as a result of eating a good meal. To pass the time, he watched Erik go about what he said he would do and other little chores he deemed mandatory. The deer carcass was stripped of its flesh and the meat was laid to dry in the sun in thin slices; the fat was stored in curious little bowels; and bones broken down while others were saved to make tools. Erik was methodical in his process and his concentration on his tasks was admirable. He didn’t talk while he worked but that might be because his thoughts were elsewhere. There was a shadow about his face and his eyes had that faraway look again while his body remained autonomous to take care of the chores. Leiss was okay with this; he didn’t need or want conversation at all times of the day, but he did grow inevitably bored sitting there. Lack of engagement you could say.

He endured this boredom till the sun began to sink towards the west, dusk breaking the sky with its softer colors. 

Still Erik worked tirelessly, all parts of that deer recycled for later use or disposed of. He now sat at the fire pit, stitching something. It was such an omega action to do, that Leiss couldn’t resist the sound of surprise that escaped him, drawing Erik’s questioning gaze. For some reason he felt embarrassed and just shook his head, resisting the urge to hide in his own feathers. The beast was completely weird—Alpha’s didn’t bother with such…domestic endeavors, claiming it required the delicate finesse of an omega (or beta if they were ever so inclined). But there wasn’t any omega’s here (save himself) so he supposed someone had to do it.

Still, it was weird and…surprisingly  _ not _ unattractive.

A flush traveled up his throat and Leiss jumped to his feet, knowing he needed to get away a bit before he had another reaction like earlier. Even the slightest bit of introspection favoring Erik lead to…well, awkward things.

“I’m going for a walk,” Leiss blurted randomly, trying not to flush more as a singular eyebrow quirked skeptically in his direction, green hues neutral.

“Shouldn’t you be recovering?”

“I have been recovering—all day in fact. I feel my legs will fall off from disuse or grow paralyzed from the stiffness in them.”

Erik put his craft down, attention fully on the bird who was shifting restlessly on his feet. A weird feeling traveled through their connection but Leiss pushed it away stubbornly, irritated by the thing’s existence. “It’s will be night after a while. And with the darkness comes danger.”

“I’m not a child! I’m fully capable of taking care of myself,” Leiss snapped, incensed.

The alpha’s ears folded back briefly in the first stages of anger, rising to his feet, tail flickering chaotically back and forth behind him. Leiss didn’t like the height the other had on him—he only came up to his throat. “No, you’re not child. However, you’re injured, thus incapable of protecting yourself.”

“Yes, I’m sure I will need to protect myself from a random squirrel. Thank you for your concern,” snarked the eagle in a voice oozing sarcasm, getting progressively unfriendly.

“Leiss…” Frustration bled into the growl emitting from the hybrid and for a moment Leiss almost followed his biology and submitted like a good omega, but he held that harsh gaze, refusing to back down.

“Are you really going to stop me from taking a simple walk? I assure you; I’m not going to run away if that’s what you're fixated on.”

The alpha didn’t respond yet the growl did begin to dissipate gradually. Instead of talking, he dropped back to the ground and resumed what he was doing, albeit more aggressively than when he started. “The trees bordering my territory have been scent marked. Don’t wonder past that point.”

Ah, so that’s what it was. Erik was displeased that he would be leaving his presence. Displeased he was without an escort. Leiss didn’t know if he should be offended by this misplaced belief that he needed to be watched/protected all the time, especially by some overly familiar Earthwalker. 

All of this was confirmed by that weird feeling from earlier which was easily identified now as distaste over casted by—dare he say it?—concern of all things.

Scoffing, the blond didn’t say anything more before he made his way out of Erik’s cave, ignoring the hum of the hybrid’s emotions trying to compel him to stay.

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Legs sufficiently exercised, Leiss could quietly agree that this walk had been necessary. 

After all, he accomplished so much more than if he stayed and stared at Erik the whole time.

The alpha’s territory was decently-sized and was more than enough for just one person. It encompassed the area by the river; much of a forested section that made him homesick for some reason; and a clearing that came with its own pond. He had momentarily fancied the idea of taking a bath but remembering the horror of feeling his lungs nearly bursting at the seams with liquid quickly caused him to flinch away and stare at the clear body of liquid with trepidation. It was illogical he knew—the water here was still and peaceful; he would have to literally hold his head under the water willingly if he wanted to drown. Even with all the reasoning in the world, the fear wouldn’t let him go so he just decided to save his much needed bath for another time.

This was a shame considering he had exhausted all other places to explore in Erik’s territory, leaving him with nothing to do but return back. If he allowed himself to be honest, returning back was the last thing he wanted to do. Finally...there was quiet. Finally, there was peace. The further he grew away from Erik, the quieter their connection grew till it was nothing but a shadow of its former self, a mere caress against the sanctity of his conscience. To be alone in your own mind was a lovely feeling and he would not take it for granted again. 

Running a hand through sun-kissed hair, Leiss chanced climbing a hill that lay beckoningly away from the line of trees that encompassed the forest section of Erik’s domain. Higher elevation naturally called to him and it wasn’t exceedingly far; he could still smell the hybrid’s powerful scent his brain reasoned. It shouldn’t be too dangerous. 

Reaching the top of the hill the eagle was able to witness a view that drew both admiration and wariness from him, pausing to take it all in.

Trees as white as freshly fallen snow spanned out further than most eyes could see till a dash of blue (the ocean undoubtedly) clashed with it, hinting at a golden shore line that acted as a barrier between land and sea. Not a single leaf decorated those ashen branches. Peculiarly enough, they didn’t seem unhealthy...just extremely barren. Never had he seen such coloration in trees before, creating a premonitory aura in defiance of their eerie beauty. At the bottom of the hill, quiet and undisturbed, was a brook that snaked its way from north to south, not a single bend in sight. A natural line of division obviously. The air coming across from the brook was surprisingly warm and inviting, caressing his feathers seductively, a promise of a good flight. Shame that his wing was broken. Shame how he couldn’t respond to the call of the wind.

Perhaps it was best he just go back; depression was beginning to show its nasty head.

A mere step from walking away, Leiss paused when he heard the sound of splashing water, turning back around to investigate the noise.

Standing there ankle-deep in the water with nary a care in the world was a child.

An Earthwalker child.

Leiss sucked in a breath, heart skipping a beat from intrigue and interest.

This was the first time in his life seeing a child belonging to the enemy. Said child was male going from the scent—beta too if those pheromones were anything to go by. Floppy, slate-grey ears sat amidst equally grey, curly locks, creating a matching set with the furry appendage wagging demurely behind him. Eyes of soft yellow were alight with childish enthusiasm while his mouth was pulled into a focused frown. Dark colored shorts kept his lower half covered as much as possible despite the occasional hole while his chest remained exposed, peppered with little droplets of water from the brook. The most discerning thing however wasn’t the fact the child belonged to the enemy species or could possibly pose a danger if he allowed himself to reach that level of paranoia.

But how painfully ribs pressed against thin, fair skin—as if the child hasn't seen a meal in weeks.

Sympathy compelled Leiss to act without thinking and he was already skidding/scaling down the other side of the hill, refusing to keep his eyes off the malnourished boy. Upon closer inspection he could see that the child had been attempting to catch frogs—albeit unsuccessfully if that frown was anything to go by and the triumphant litany of ribbits that mocked his efforts. Can’t say for certain that frogs made a good meal but anything must have been tasty to a starving child. Poor thing.

“Hey, are you lost?” Leiss called in what he hoped was a friendly tone, coming to a halt once the ground became pebbled.

That grey head whipped up at him in shock before he dashed behind a ghostly pale tree, the fear scent emanating from him making Leiss feel sick. Poor thing probably thought he was going to kill him or something. 

An idea came to the bird fast and he was bending down near the brook, keen eyes locked on the green creatures hopping to and fro. One jumped up to his eyeline, unthreatened by his presence, and his hand snatched it out of the air before it could land. Careful of squeezing the squirming thing, he called to the child again, voice oozing friendliness and warmth:

“I didn’t mean to scare you. My name is Leiss and I saw you trying to catch the frogs here. I caught one—would you like to see?”

Curious yellow hues peeked from behind white bark, lips caught unsurely between diminutive fangs as he nodded hesitantly. Good. Some measure of trust there.

Leiss kneeled till his knees was touching the water, trying to get on a level that was non-threatening. He tried his best to ignore the creature trapped in his grasp, nose wrinkling at the sharp smell of urine coming from his palm. “Well come here then. I promise I don’t bite!”

Eventually curiosity—or was it hunger?—won out and Leiss could only watch with an amiable smile as the skinny male was coaxed out of hiding, reluctant in his pace till he saw an oddly bent leg sticking out from the cage of his fingers. When he was but a forearm away, the blond spoke again, making sure to maintain that gentleness, “Would you like to hold it?”

A nod was his answer and he wondered if the boy spoke at all or was too hungry to waste energy on words. Either way, he was careful upon depositing the slick creature into palms must smaller than his, watching with interest as a furry tail with more energy than that little body should have, wagged with excitement. Golden eyes blinked up at his own in askance; for what he did not know but he tilted his head in what he assumed was approval. The brilliant smile of a grateful child was his reward and Leiss couldn’t be more satisfied, words freezing in his throat as he watched with wide eyes when the child opened his mouth and—

_ Swallowed the thing whole. _

Great Mother above…figures that was his intention from the start.

Leiss didn’t know whether he should be amused or concerned, holding back a laugh as the young one licked his fingers, seeking more. “I hope that was tasty.”

Much to his surprise he got a response and even a shy smile for his efforts. “Tis okay… Do you have any more? Um, please?” His voice was soft and quiet like the morning breeze, uncertain as he tried remembering some semblance of manners.

“Ah, no I don’t. However, it shouldn’t be any trouble to catch you some more…if you tell me your name that is?”

Shyly, the child looked down, hands clutched behind his back. “Its Finn…”

“It’s nice to meet you, Finn. Just let me catch you some more okay? I promise it won’t take me long.”

Leiss was good on his promise of course; the frogs were plentiful and bold in their confidence at dodging his capture attempts, some managing to get away while others were not so fortunate. Finn found his attempts both interesting and amazing, having the opportunity of watching the eagle splash around catching frogs while he ate the ones that were caught. All the work was worth it seeing the misfortunate child laughing and giggling as all children should be able to. Strange how no beast came to claim him as was Leiss expectation, dread creating an ugly sensation in the pit of his stomach. 

Surviving out here in this cruel world wasn’t a fate he would wish on anyway. Earthwalker child or not.

By the time Finn had had his fill of frogs and Leiss’s joints were scolding him for over exertion, the moon had taken residence in the ink-blue sea of the sky, accompanied by stars and an occasional cloud or two. Sitting on a stump, overcome with post-feast drowsiness was Finn, curled up in his contentment. He appeared as if he wanted to ask Leiss a question but was unsure if he should bother. Standing not so far off, having been plucking out loose feathers, the blond decided to humor him:

“Something on your mind?”

Looking both equally caught and shy, Finn struggled to sit up till he was sitting cross-legged on his perch, worrying the poor fabric of his shorts as he fidgeted. “Um…are you a wood pigeon? You have feathers s-so…”

Flabbergasted, the eagle was too stunned to be properly insulted. He blinked enough times till he was sufficiently recovered from his shock. “No, not at all. I’m an eagle… Have you not seen one of my kind before?”

Rightfully embarrassed by his ignorance, Finn shook his head vigorously, floppy ears shaking with it.

Hazel hues softened in response. “Well that makes two of us. I’ve never seen a child of your kind before either.”

“I’m a dog! W-Well…,” he drifted off, petulant and pouty, “…a puppy. But someday I’ll be a big dog! And one day I’ll be able to catch frogs for you too. I promise!”

The thought was saddening and cute all at once. He doubted they would meet again after tonight. “Okay, I’ll look forward to it.”

Pleased with his answer, the pup scurried off the stump and stood in front of the blond, his frivolity and happiness a stark contrast to the pup he saw desperately trying to catch a couple of frogs. “Your wings are really nice…can you fly with them? Can you show me?”

The request made him inwardly wince and he was again struck by a pang of depression. He was careful not to let it show, face a set in a half-hearted smile. “I wish I could but one of my wings is broken.” To emphasize, he gestured at the slumped appendage, at odds with the one folded delicately at his back.

Crushed, that grey tail stopped wagging, golden hues moist with empathy. “How?”

Leiss closed his eyes for a moment before turning his gaze skyward, solemn. “I was hurt by bad beasts, Finn.” 

_ Earthwalkers…just like you. _

Without any prompting, arms had wrapped around his midsection and a face was nuzzling into his stomach, body tensing automatically at the unexpected contact. Realizing he was being hugged, Leiss allowed himself to relax, not quite sure what brought this on but not having any real reasons to stop it either. He let it continue for a couple of moments before he spoke again, voice gentle and bemused, “Finn?”

“My sister says hugs are for good for ouchies. Inside and out.”

Leiss insisted the stinging behind his eyes was just a product of his imagination, not trusting himself to speak right now.

“Mmm…you smell really nice Leiss. Like…like a mom. Can you be my mommy?”

_ What? _

Heart effectively trapped in his throat, it took everything the dumbfounded blond had to control his voice so it didn’t crack, astonishment still managing to bleed in. “Finn what—”

“If you can’t catch me, you have to be my mommy okay?”

Finn didn’t leave any time to respond or even properly process what was happening before he took off into the line of trees, showing more energy and speed than that gangly body possessed from earlier.

What…what just happened? It felt like someone had punched him in the gut from how easily this random sequence of events just stole his breath away. Finn…wanted him to be a mother—his mother? That…no that wouldn’t possible. Endearing as the kid was, Leiss was not currently capable of fostering a child—nonetheless an Earthwalker one. This was madness and yet as he stood there floundering, the pup had already disappeared from sight.

Concern for his well being instead of this silly game prompted Leiss into motion, a curse on his lips as he took off running as fast as his body would allow. It shouldn’t have been difficult to catch up with the young beta but lack of direction was his enemy here in this new environment with its surprisingly oppressive atmosphere. Everything looked the same; a stark white sea of barren trees and rust-red bushes. The earth underneath his feet was lifeless and unnourished and it felt as if it would welcome a dead body to feast on.

Honestly, he was scaring himself and it was doing him no favors.

Blood pounded so hard in his ear that it was deafening. His chest heaved from exertion while an onset of dizziness forced him to pause. He hadn’t fully recovered; pushing himself like this was detrimental but his concern won out. Finn’s scent was the only lead he had and yet it was hard to lock on to when the smell of rot overpowered everything in his nostrils. It came from everywhere; the trees, vegetation, the very dirt underneath. Not to mention there was not a single prey animal in the vicinity. To think Finn had recklessly charged into this odd place. 

This did not bode well at all.

Not allowing his fear to get the better of him, Leiss focused more on his sense of hearing, seeking anything in this grim stillness. Running. Labored breathing—anything. But there was nothing. Despair almost convinced him to consider looking elsewhere when he heard a muffled cry not so far off. Followed by another.

Then another.

_ Finn… _

More worried than he could imagine, Leiss sprinted in the direction of the sound, the last bit of his stamina draining in this burst of movement. The sound led him to what appeared to be a small clearing that was littered with a bunch of strange red flowers. Standing amongst them, face scrunched up in fear and pain was Finn, tears streaming down his face in glistening rivulets.

Holding his arm roughly with more force than necessary was another dog, lean and tall with scars decorating his body in different shapes.

The pungent scent was powerful; an indication of his Alpha status. And yet what scared Leiss more than anything was how reminiscent it was of that other dog that had tried to—

Leiss clasped his hand over is mouth, suppressing the startled noise that threatened to reveal his presence.

“It hurts brother! Please no more! I-I’m sorry!”

The eagle watched with fearful eyes as the pup tried to tug his way out of that relentless grasp, sobbing desperately in the wake of such dominance He did mention brother and the likeness between them was there. They shared the grey fur and golden eyes but the alpha's ears were erect with maturity and his tail lacked the juvenile fluff of his younger sibling. His hair was longish on the top but cut down almost to the scalp at the sides, giving him a youthful appearance in spite of the cruelty emanating from him. Where Finn was sweet and pleasant with child-like exuberance, his brother exuded nothing but harsh stoicism. Something about him seemed unpredictable, dangerous.

Malicious even.

“You come to me with lies when you were supposed to be helping your pack find our brother’s killer? Do you not care?”

Finn went into further hysterics at the coldness of that voice, hiccupping as he tried to defend himself as well as any tormented child could being harshly accused. “N-No…N-No please. Was hungry. So hungry brother. Please, I’m sorry. A…eagle fed me. H-He was nice to me—"

“An eagle? Here? Your insulting my intelligence, little brother. Shall I discipline you again?”

“No! Please! Please no! H-he smelt nice. Please—”

“I grow tired of this. It would seem you need a lesson in honesty.”

“ _ Brother no!” _

Unable to endure this anymore, Leiss stepped out from his hiding place behind a tree, his shout enough to stop a fist from being smashed into a child’s face:

“Stop it! He’s just a child!”

The alpha froze as if doused by a shock of cold water, fur standing on end as he released Finn in his incredulity. The pup fell harshly onto the ground as he let out a continuous stream of whimpers, trembling violently. Being able to stop a defenseless boy from being unjustly struck was exhilarating and Leiss didn’t regret it, even when he became the sole focus of that harsh gaze. Now that he could fully see his face, it was unpleasant to see that he did share a resemblance to the dog that had accosted him two nights prior. From the cool interest that caused those eyes to upraise him as if studying a future investment to the lips tugging gradually into a callous smirk; it was like revisiting a nightmare. Taking a step back, contemplating whether he should run and how far he would get if he did, Leiss felt an uncomfortable shiver go up and down his body when he was addressed in leisurely tone.

“It would seem my foolish little brother wasn’t being completely dishonest. There is an eagle here. An omega of all things…,” the emphasis on Leiss’s dynamic didn’t go undetected, putting the bird on edge. The dog was careful in how he spoke; each word was deliberate and smooth, stance lacking the ruthless aggression that he saw directed at his sibling. It was all under a false pretense of course—he wasn’t naïve. Especially as he crept closer and closer, scent making the blond’s feathers stand on in. “Mind telling me your name? I would like to grow acquainted with you as you have with my little brother I’m sure.”

Wisely, Leiss held his tongue.

Not to be denied, the dog clicked his tongue and turned partially to look at Finn, the boy shrinking pathetically under his gaze. “I’m sure my brother wouldn’t mind telling me. Isn’t that right, Finn?”

“It’s Leiss,” offered the omega coldly, sick at how the other was willing to hurt his kin to get what he wanted.

Pleased, he turned his attention back on the bird, his smile sharp and cold like ice. The glimmer of keen fangs made Leiss’s heart flutter anxiously in his chest. “Leiss—it’s a wonderful name. You may call me Koios. I’m head of a pack of Wild Dogs in these parts. They do in fact…mean everything to me.”

_ Right. And that is why your brother is staring at you like a monster. _

Of course he was mindful enough not to say this, letting his neutral expression do the talking for him.

Taking this as permission to continue, Koios stopped walking towards him till Leiss could see the white, raised lines of scars decorating fair skin, could smell the first hints of desire creeping into that heavy scent. “My family desperately craves a maternal figure you see. With you at my side, I hope you can fill that role. We can offer you stability and safety—a place where no one can hurt you again.” He nodded at Leiss’s limp wing, playing up his empathy. 

“Its…it’s a generous offer.” A disgusting one but he didn’t fancy losing his tongue by saying this. “But I’m afraid I must decline.”

Koios chuckled, eyes yellow pools of cold mirth. “I was not asking, omega.”

Leiss stepped back in preparation to turn, instinct screaming at him to take flight but he was rooted to the ground like an abandoned chick bereft of its feathers. “I should be going…I didn’t mean to disturb you.”

“You have the same scent found around my brother’s corpse. I wonder if you had anything to do with his recent death?”

The blond went rigid, his heart literally stopping for a hot second as he was rooted to his spot.

The darkness behind those eyes grew malignant in their blackness, letting his fingers tap at the side of his head in a mock show of consideration. “Granted, my brother never had an intelligent thought in his life so his idiocy was bound to get him killed at some point. But it would seem it wasn’t his lack of brain that got him killed, but an omega. A male one at that… Yes, I suppose I can understand the fascination he must have felt.”

Words wouldn’t come under the cruel scrutiny of that gaze, wondering if he was going to meet the same fate he almost faced that night. Maybe worse.

“I’ll dismiss whatever role you played in his death when you come back with me. I can’t say I find the thought of a near-dead omega attractive.”

And that’s where the flames of Leiss’s dwindled spirit was rekindled, snarling quietly at an Alpha who thought to take him. Ridiculous. “Your brother tried to hurt me—to put it mildly. Forgive me if I don’t pity what befell him. He deserved it and I owe you nothing. Now leave me be.”

That calm façade finally began to crack, a low growl coming from his throat as his scent grew heavy with aggression. “Or what?”

“You deal with me.”

Having not realized he had been stepping back all this time, Leiss spun around rapidly when his back collided with something solid, gasping in surprise when verdant-green hues glared from above him.

Elation and annoyance sprung within him at once, opening his mouth to say something but nearly falling to his knees at the overflowing current of emotion that burst through the previously muted connection.

Erik was absolutely  _ livid _ .

Nothing could describe the heat and fire that licked at his soul, threatening to roast him from the inside out as the blond had to stumble against a tree for support, staring at the enraged beast with nothing short of amazement. He could hardly draw breath with the other’s wrath being so great, holding his hand to his chest as he watched the hybrid approach the other alpha. Their heights were identical but Erik had sinewy muscle to accentuate the leanness of his form compared to the other who was more lanky from hard times. That didn’t detract from the fact that he was probably a lot more clever and cunning from hardship like those scars seemed to indicate.

Neither would escape from this encounter unscathed was Leiss’s verdict. For some reason, that worried him.

“Oh, it’s you Halfling,” Koios began with disinterest, straightening, “You’ve saved me the trouble of tracking down your filthy hide by coming here. You have my gratitude.”

“Keep your gratitude. Why was your kin on my territory?” Erik snarled lowly, tail waspish behind him, presumably baring his fangs. Leiss didn’t want to draw his attention back in this direction so he was content being able to imagine his facial expressions. The blistering heat from their link was more than enough.

The dog gave him a look that questioned his intelligence, crossing his arms with a scoff. “I’m sure we both know the answer to that question.” A pointed look was sent in the omega’s direction, making him flinch as he braced for the hybrid to follow suite. 

Erik didn’t even twitch.

“You need to keep your family in check.”

Here, Koios bristled, fangs bared in challenge. “Murderers don’t get to tell me how to tend to my pack.”

“He brought it on himself.”

“I saw his body—I saw what you did to him. Bruno was an impulsive idiot but he didn’t deserve the death you gave him,” spat the alpha dog, eyes narrowed on the feline who had robbed him of his family member.

Erik snorted derisively, no less furious but deceptively more calm than he was seconds ago. “He didn’t know how to keep his tongue in his mouth, so it was only fitting."

Having made a couple of connections, Leiss found himself under the pressure of that golden gaze, trying his best to glare back but he was still trying to adjust to the turbulent storm that was Erik’s emotions. Koios spoke again, sneering, “Can you fault him for wanting to entertain himself with an omega? There hasn’t been one here since before you or me. We both know how difficult it is to tolerate not having access to an omega. It’s unnatural—maddening almost.”

“Leiss is mine. My mate.”

The bird lurched at that, fury giving him the strength to finally gather his bearings as he straightened, preparing to correct whatever ownership statements and foolishness coming from the other. It was here that green-eyed glare whirled on him, pupils mere slits of feral aggression,  _ daring _ the omega to say anything in opposition.

Again, his ability to speak deserted him.

“Murdering and lying must come easy to you, does it? Almost like breathing I would assume.  _ Ha _ ,” Koios threw back his head and let out a chilling bark of laughter, causing the forgotten lump next to him let out a terrified squeak. The noise distracted him for a moment, narrowing his eyes on the trembling pup. His eyes gleamed with the barest hint of disgust. “The bird smells of unclaimed omega—free game. I have every right to him as much as you.”

Erik lowered into an aggressive stance, voice a growling rumble, “Is that a challenge?”

Koios mirrored his crouch, ears pointed forwards as his lips pulled back at the onset of a snarl, letting that become his response. 

The clearing was suffused in the violent smell of Alpha’s preparing to clash. Everything in Leiss’s body told him to stay away and let them rip each other apart.  _ For me _ , his instincts pointed out gleefully, feeling no small measure of nausea at himself. Erik was going to kill again on his behalf. Kill in front of a small child who was staring at them in open mouthed horror, all of his tears exhausted and drying on his face. No one needed to see a family member get killed or hurt, especially not a child. Who would take care of him? Not that Koios was a suitable guardian but he couldn’t see Erik deciding to take in another. There was no room for care or sympathy in those smoldering eyes, just a thirst for blood, a desire to stake a claim he had no right too.

This had to stop.

“Stop this—both of you! You're going to tear each other apart in front of a child who has nothing to do with this.” 

Both sets of eyes flashed onto him but Leiss only met the one that affected him the most. He inhaled deeply, eyes half-lidded, circumventing pass the anger, fury, and alpha possessiveness to the lonely soul that dwelled beneath. He reached out even if his mind balked in revulsion at what he was doing and let the calm coolness of his soul soothe the burning inferno that was Erik’s rage. 

_ Please, don’t do this. Not here _ .

Slowly, the hard angry lines on the feline’s face began to fade until he was met with a quiet stoicism, pacified for the time-being.

“A coward too? I had my impressions of you already made, but this…this changes things.”

The two tore their eyes from one another to acknowledge the dog who was regarding Erik with undisguised disdain, the coldness back in his voice and face. Unphased, walking a tight line of barely suppressed anger, Erik issued a warning with deadly calm:

“If I smell you on my territory again, I will kill you.”

“Oh no, my halfling friend. You are grossly misunderstanding the situation.”

Bringing his wrist to his mouth, the dog tore a jagged line from his palm to his wrist before forming a fist to force the crimson liquid to splatter hotly to the ground. There was no pain on his face from his injury, just a wild delight and crazed grin. “Blood for blood. I will have my due for what you’ve taken from me. When your death comes for you, know that is was my fangs that brought it. And when it does, I will take that omega from you and fuck him on your corpse.”

The declaration was sealed with a howl promise as Koios snatched the whimpering Finn of the ground in his bloody grip and departed in the other direction.

Leiss was rendered speechless, not knowing what to make of those ominous words nor that near ritualistic display of brutality. For a moment, he almost believed that Erik’s body was vacant as he did not move or say a word, just staring at the puddle of blood that the dog left when he tore his wrist. Something felt like it was coming—whatever remained of Erik’s control was tenuous at best as he felt a complicated knot inside the feline began to expand. When Leiss reached out to touch his shoulder, more terrified out of his mind then he'd ever admit, the alpha brushed past his hand and began to leave, wordlessly.

Still not quite fully understanding what transpired, Leiss could do little more than to try to follow, struggling to keep up with that long stride. “Erik! What…what just happened? What did he—why did he cut his wrist like that? Did he really mean—oww.”

_ Thud _

For the second time that day, Leiss collided into Erik, this time his back, his good wing beating instinctively so he didn’t fall and land on his tail feathers. “Can you not just stop in the middle of—”

Hazel hues widened fearfully as Erik, with one hand, pressed him back against a nearby tree, glaring down at him with that blistering heat from before. The knot unwound without any provocation and Leiss was being slammed by every emotion that had been contained within it in an unending slew that left him so dizzy that it was only Erik’s hand keeping him adrift. The alpha was so…so—

_ Infuriated _

—that there was no way to possible describe the fervency of his emotions. It felt like his brain would bleed trying to process a single speck of it. Overwhelmed as he was, Leiss felt the need to defend himself in the wake of the storm, weakly meeting the chaos in those once warm eyes. “Erik, listen to me I…”

“I gave you simple instructions to stay within my borders. And where do I find you?”

“Erik please—”

“On that’s dog land. With him and his kin? What would you have done if he had touched you? Hurt you even?”

Unbelievably he could hear the ugly jealousy in Erik’s words and that alone gave Leiss enough support to meet that burning glare with one of his own. “You make it sound like I sought him out willingly.”

Erik sneered, blinded by a surge of alpha instinct screaming at him that the blond had found that mongrel’s company preferable than his own. That he found him unattractive compared to that weakling. “Then  _ why _ ?”

“The child was starving and I helped him catch something to eat. Even you can see that Erik. I wasn’t going to stand by while an innocent child suffered.”

Even though there was sense in his words, it wasn’t enough to penetrate the thick fog his brain was in, tail lashing in irritation. The grip on the bird’s shoulder tightened but Leiss didn’t allow himself to even wince. He wouldn’t give him the pleasure. “You left me. I…I could barely  _ feel _ you anymore.”

Ice-cold wrapped its frigid claw around Leiss's innards as Erik brought to light that thing he feared the most: the existence of that thing. To verbalize was to make real, and he would not have it. Not at all.

“You’re not making any sense—”

“We should talk about this, don’t you think?” Erik cut in with steel encasing the husky intones of his voice, lifting both hands to press on each side of the bird’s head till he was fully enclosed within his arms.

_ Nowhere to run. _

Shivering, unable to meet his eye and lie so blatantly, Leiss said quietly, “There is nothing to discuss.”

“Why do you refuse to acknowledge this? This…this bond between us.”

“There is nothing there. Stop this madness, please.”

“ _ How is this nothing _ ?”

And suddenly Leiss was drowning again in the sea of the connection between them, unable to differentiate between himself and Erik for the second time. Where Erik began and he ended; there was no clear distinction. No way to escape the sound of their synchronized heartbeats or the tragic desire of their souls yearning for heated friction. To sink and swim. To fly and fall. Leiss could not run away from this no matter what he did and the finality of it was beginning to sink into the spongy flesh of his brain.

_ Nowhere to hide. _

Erik had sunk closer once again to the shell of the blond’s ear, the scent of him as paralyzing as this bond they shared. “This…how is  _ this _ nothing, Leiss?”

Leiss shoulders began to tremble as hysteria began to overtake him,  _ laughing _ of all things. “No Erik. This is…this is an abomination. A crime against nature. And I won’t suffer this with you or any Earthwalker.”

“I don’t believe you,” was Erik’s hoarse reply, failing to comprehend how Leiss could be so dismissive of this connection between them. How he could dismiss the wholesomeness that it brought and the untapped potential of bringing two beings closer than any physical intimacy could.

Yet Leiss was almost cruel in his stance, his smile glassy while his eyes were unsympathetic. “Surely you can feel it? Feel me, as you insist you can? Surely that would mean you would know if lying, right?”

Erik didn’t say a word but the omega could feel him tentatively scanning his emotions individually, searching for an answer that he desperately didn’t want to exist. But everything was laid bare for them to see. No falsehoods. No lies. Leiss didn’t want this. Didn’t  _ want  _ him. 

No, what Leiss wanted was—

There Erik jumped out of the influx of emotion and sensation as if he had been stung, unable to bare the firm affirmation in that gaze or the way there was something suspiciously like pity trickling between them. 

Without another word, Erik turned away from him and walked away.

For once, the silence between them was deafening. No hum. No buzz. No gentle caress of the confident force that was the alpha’s soul. 

_ Nothing. _

Alone. Leiss was truly alone. And a part of him began to writhe in agony as it cried out over and over:

Alone.

_ Alone. _

_ ALONE. _

Wordlessly he followed Erik into the night, stricken and trying to ignore the blossoming pain in both his heart and soul. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know when the next chapter will be but I hope this one will hold you guys over for a little till the next one!


	3. Forgiveness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yolo! Here's another chapter randomly. Enjoy!

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

_“Mistakes are always forgivable, if one has the courage to admit them.”_ **_—Bruce Lee_**

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

The sun had risen five times since that day where he had encountered Finn and his vicious sibling.

The dynamic had changed between Erik and himself and he was wholly unprepared for how much it affected him and unsure how he could continue like this.

Continue enduring the writhing, suffocating feeling of something _ inside _ suffering and screaming for what he knew not.

Gone was the warmth in those sea-green hues when they regarded him; gone was the heat from that husky voice and that confident smile that stretched taut lips. Gone was that thing that created this discord between them in the first place; replacing the thrum and pulse that he had been grudgingly getting used to with silence and emptiness. He could feel absolutely nothing from Erik—not a hint of a thought, not the caress of any lazily drifting emotion, nor the too intimate friction of a _ presence (a soul) _ sliding against his own. In its place as a result of his—or their—negligence, a twisting, angry pain began to fester sickly in its place as some type of ghastly punishment, so unlike any physical pain that he’s experienced before. 

No, this was purely spiritual. Metaphysical. And he was so painfully—

_ Alone_.

Yes, he was alone. Alone to suffer this. Alone to be tormented by the echo of something that once was. This was…what he wanted right? This silence. The emptiness.

_ Alone._

Each twist and drag of it—this lonely, inescapable feeling—along his innards left a scar in its wake that sometimes left him writhing pathetically on the ground, rearing more times than not when Erik would leave him, as short as that was.

Maybe it _ was _ Erik’s doing.

After all, he hardly looked at him most days.

It was taking some invisible toll on Leiss’s sanity, this disconnect, this quiet invisible hell that seemed to only be affecting him—punishing only him. Even in all this out-of-body torment, he remained stubborn and withholdent, refusing to show this was bothering him in any way. Besides, they had more pressing things to worry about then this enmity between them; something that he was almost grateful for if it hadn't been so alarming because that was _ real _and superceded what silly pettiness that was between him and the hybrid.

Koios and his family's threat loomed over them, presenting in a way that wasn’t as direct as Leiss thought it would be. Nor as malicious.

It became noticeable when Erik would come back from a hunt; a dark look casting a permanent shadow on his face, devoid of any prey carcass to speak of despite carrying the scent of exertion on him. At first, Leiss attributed the failure to the alpha himself; he did seem distracted and his focus was everywhere, stretched thin and paranoid. Then he allowed himself to reevaluate what he knew to be true:

Erik unsuccessful on a hunt?

Not likely.

He’d sooner believe the feline grow wings and fly rather than this nonsense. And of course it alarmed him at first at how much faith he had in the other’s hunting skills but then reasoned (because it agreed with his conscious better) that he was simply concerned because no kill eventually meant no food. Not that this was a problem.

At least...not a first.

Erik was surprisingly adept at preparing for strange contingencies. Baring no fresh kill, he found the next best thing in the preserved meat from previous ones and that would be enough to slake their hunger for the day—at least his anyway. Admittedly, Erik was a bigger beast; he had to eat more of his stores to compensate for his body's high energy output. The burden of this created an atmosphere of displeasure, giving life to a silent, deadly unease. Fortunately, Erik did have quite a stockpile of preserved meat stashed in a safe spot in the back of his cave, delicately salted to lengthen its lifespan and chase away any nasty parasites. Being how difficult it is to acquire salt, Leiss was almost brazen enough to ask how the beast managed to get some.

_ Almost _ being the keyword here.

It would not be he who broke this near vow of silence between them. Why should he? He did nothing wrong. But it still felt like it _ was— _

His fault.

This painstaking silence.

The weight of blame.

_ Ridiculous._

Leiss half expected Erik to whirl on him and blame him for his unsuccessful hunts, having no other reason to explain why meals consisted of unsatisfactory portions or how three meals a day was reduced to one.

The weight of ignorance—of waiting for this declaration of fault caused Leiss to lash out one night, demanding in the shadows of a small fire answers to this sudden shortage of footage. The vow of silence between them was broken just like that, fueled by both paranoia and a desperate need to _ know _. His outburst was met with no rebuke, no retaliation, much to his surprise and worry. Just a dull voice and cold eyes glaring over flickering flames answered him:

“_There is no prey to be had.” _

A coldness that continued to worsen came alive in the pit of his stomach as the statement had been expounded on, finally understanding why Erik was so unsuccessful at something he had obviously been so good at.

The carefully controlled population of prey on Erik’s land were systematically being killed and mauled. 

As a result, the prey animals population was rapidly declining as they fled from his territory, terrified by this new threat. This mindless slaughter wasn’t for something understandable like satisfying hunger but to quench something else that wasn’t so easily appeased:

_ Revenge_.

Seemed like Koios and his family intended to sentence them to the slow death that was starvation.

According to Erik, his scent and that of his family hung heavily around the many decomposing remains of his kills, attracting maggots and other vermin to an easy meal. It was sadistic and wasteful what he was doing; you simply didn’t hunt prey animals for anything other than sustenance. This sickening disregard for life was almost enough to force up the contents of the blonde’s stomach but he was afraid it would leave him hungrier as consequence. Surely...surely there was a solution to this madness, right? Surely not _ all _the animals were vacating the area?

The infuriated expression that seemed increasingly permanent on Erik’s face answered his inquiry.

Leiss felt the first seeds of genuine fear take root, germinating not from the ever present fear of being attacked by a pack of wild dogs. But the slow, painful fear of having nothing to eat.

How meticulous and careful did the feline have to be to manage the prey population on his terf? The balance was so delicate, so precarious—it just never occured to the eagle that his presence here was endangering that balance. After all, how much more did Erik have to hunt to sustain not just himself, but his recovering guest as well? The thought was equally humbling and concerning and he made an effort to at least lessen the hostility that radiated off him as of late, knowing that his stalwart companion was the one that was mostly affected by this turn of events. This was his land for all intents of purpose. Once his wing healed...he would be gone faster than one could blink.

Strange how the thought left him oddly...uncomfortable.

He would have to make sure to express his gratitude despite the agitated relationship between them.

This was all dependant on the fact that he even woke up to see that day given their current situation where it was barely morning and he was slow to rouse from his slumber. Hunger viciously dinned on his energy, having nothing else to prey on. It made getting up a long, arduous affair of twisting as much as a mending wing would allow and subconsciously bunching up his furry bedding in his fingers. The scent dwelling within them had shifted a bit to make room for his own as Erik had taken to sleeping at the mouth of the cave, ever watchful. Ever so vigilant. He honestly wondered if beast even slept nowadays but it wasn’t his place to ask. Rather, he didn’t like to pry into the other’s personal affairs when he was obviously so unwelcome.

And as usual, he still felt nothing between them. Nothing at all. Maybe it had been a figment of his imagination. That bond of theirs.

Before Leiss could develop that chain of thought from infancy, he was crawling into a sitting position, stretching his upper body as joints popped pleasurably. The stillness in the air and quietness told him he was alone—the norm as of late when it came to this time of day. Erik was usually hunting before he woke; before the dew on the grass could even dissipate or the insects could start their morning song. He was never gone for long nor was he very far—he could smell the direction that he went, stalking the same path everyday. If he yelled, he was sure the other would be here faster than a leaf descending to the ground. It was comforting; if only a little compared to him physically being there. Pure dominant alpha; unconsciously exuding that protective musk of his; deterring all that would trespass with those sinewy, refined _ muscles— _

Leiss squeezed his eyes shut, willing away such insidious thoughts.

Being constantly surrounded by the feline’s scent was doing him no good. He didn’t understand why it affected him so profoundly considering that it wasn’t the first alpha’s he’s ever had the _ pleasure _ of smelling—nor would it be the last. Not to mention Erik wasn’t even avian to start. Was he...was he some type of deviant? If his father knew, the old beast would have a field day with this. Or fall into an early grave.

“I need to get out of here,” Leiss uttered fearfully to himself in response to his thoughts, a chill traveling from the tips of his fingers all the way through the edges of his primary feathers.

“Do you now?”

The eagle nearly jumped out of his skin as he looked up to see Erik walking through the entrance to the cave, his expression indifferent despite the churlish edge to his words. Braced on his shoulder, magnetizing an involuntary, hazel-eyed gaze, was a couple of fish on a line of deer sinew. Catching his hungry gaze, he looked like he was going to make another comment but Leiss beat him to it, eager to regain his composure.

“Yes, I haven’t had the chance to get out much lately.” Thankfully this was true. Any attempt to leave and he was met with a growl that would continue to raise in pitch till he backed off. He wasn’t crazy enough to challenge this or bold enough to attempt such a thing while he was alone. Something told him the effort would not leave him unscathed.

It wasn’t clear if Erik believed his reason or not but he didn’t press the issue, silently placing his captured meal on a part of the cave wall that jutted out enough to provide a surface to place things on. Strangely enough, he took his knife and proceeded to descale the fish, motions practiced and easy like with everything else he did. It was weird considering the beast never did this before when they had fish. It wasn't necessary. “Well today that’s going to change.”

Leiss didn’t bother to keep the surprise out of his voice. “Really? Am I allowed to walk around freely now or…?”

“No,” the answer was curt and cold. Not unexpected but still jarring nonetheless. 

The blond tried to keep his tone even, holding back annoyance and ire. This was the first conversation they had in days and he was keen to pick the alpha’s brain. “Okay...then what? You're not giving me much here.”

That furry tail of his betrayed the irritation the other was feeling with its short, jagged flicks. It was almost dizzying to watch. “I have no choice but to hunt off my territory. This means I can’t leave you here.” _ Alone. Unprotected. “_In order to do that, I need to take you somewhere safe.”

“Which is…?”

“You’ll see when we get there.”

_ Ah, how mature. _

And just like that, the conversation was over. Erik would not speak anymore and trying to get him to say anything else was an exercise in futility. He was lucky enough to get that small tidbit as is and he didn’t have a problem admitting that his curiosity at least was piqued a little. 

Familiarizing himself with more land would only help in the long run when it was time for him to leave. Maybe by seeing more, he would be able to navigate back to an area he at least recognized. The only plan of action that he had in regards to making it back home was just following the river that carried him down here in the first place. The only frightening thing about that was that he didn’t know how far he was carried off to begin with. And he didn’t get to ask Erik about the area before their recent falling out so he was even more clueless.

But if he wanted to be honest with himself, Leiss was just happy knowing they would be getting out of this stuffy cave. How these Earthwalkers dwelled in these enclosed things habitually was beyond him.

Once the fish was descaled (and even deboned), Erik began to assemble small, crude containers filled with a bright gold, viscous liquid. Just the momentary removal of one of the lids allowed the bird's sharp noise to pick up a saccharine sweetness that laid heavy on the tongue, brows furrowing in distaste. It was honey; too sweet to be edible but well known for its practical uses. Leiss wondered why he was assembling such things when he realized they were being stored in a rabbit fur sack along with a variety of other tools. Was this place they were going far? And when were they going to eat? 

It was silly how recurring that question was.

“Come, we are going.”

Fish dangling on one shoulder while the bag rested on the other, Erik hardly glanced at Leiss as he scrambled to his feet, dying to know where they were going and if the fish was a snack for the journey. The hot season was already on its last legs and most fish liked to leave freshwater during the colder seasons to venture into the ocean. To put it bluntly, the fish inhabiting Erik's river would become a rare commodity sooner rather than later. It was common knowledge that any flowing water lead to the ocean. If they were desperate, would it be unreasonable to follow that watery path in pursuit of food? Not really no, but he wasn't too keen on encountering any bodies of water that could drag him under just for some measly fish.

So yes, the fish would likely be in low supply around these parts.

Eyeing the temptation dangling on Erik’s shoulder with more frequency than he would like, Leiss almost slipped going down the slight incline leading into the cave. Normally he was so sure-footed but being hungry was a distraction that wasn’t easily combated. Regrettably, Erik didn’t have this issue for he was already walking through a line of bushes that was completely opposite the direction he took when going for his hunts. Nothing in his movements even suggested that he was going through anything remotely like what the eagle was experiencing. No loss of balance. No weakness creeping along the limbs. Was it alpha tenacity or simply the hybrid's personality to hide any discomfort he may have? The last one seemed the most plausible. Erik's whole visage screamed stubborn and Leiss could attest to that without a problem.

After all, he seemed determined not to share words with Leiss for the whole trip.

Childish.

Luckily, the bird was content to immerse himself in simply being out of his confinement for the first time in days; to see the clear blue sky as opposed to the grey dullness of a ceiling; to feel the wind rejuvenating his feathers from their stagnation in a stuffy cave. The scents here were fresh and diverse—a direct contrast the waking torture of constantly being surrounded by air rife with alpha pheromones. His skin greedily soaked in sunlight and his toes were grateful to feel cushiony grass and soil underneath them. If circumstances permitted it, he would have been running around just for the sheer joy of it, just to mimic the caress of wind rushing across his body from flight. It was a dream that haunted his waking moments; born from the desire to return to his home in the sky where his heart and soul belonged.

Leiss looked longingly at the ocean of blue above then cast his eyes on the sturdy back of the alpha that was caring for him.

Would he ensnare him here once he was capable of returning home?

A chill racked up his spine from ominous thoughts and the omega grew pensive as they walked for some time, quietly taking note of the subtle shift of the environment—how the scents grew thicker with prey and the quietness of Erik’s territory faded behind him. A rabbit was burrowing busily into the Earth to his left; a squirrel had stuck its quivering nose from a hole in a tree; and even a wood mouse scurried bravely across their path. Saliva involuntary welled up in his mouth in response at the scents combined with the visuals, wanting nothing more than to catch the creatures that was testing his limits. It was killing him, slowly. How was he to tolerate this when they hadn’t eaten a thing? Unwilling to stomach this or control the edge to his voice, Leiss hissed a comment to the seemingly unfazed alpha:

“Are we not going to stop and eat? There’s plenty here.”

Cool, sea-green eyes looked over a broad shoulder, unreadable. “No, we keep moving.”

Seriously? Luckily, Leiss was hardly one to give in so easily. “Why? Aren’t you hungry? We haven’t had anything since yesterday morning. I know you like to pretend this isn't affecting you but—”

Striking a nerve, predictably, Erik stopped abruptly and twisted till his body was facing the omega, pheromones growing poignant in warning. Leiss could hardly contain his shiver of response, fighting the instinct to look away, to show submission. Bare his neck like a good, obedient omega. “This land is not ours. If we want to take food from here, we have to gain permission first.”

The bird looked as if he smelled something particularly foul. “Yet you are the one who told me there was no rules here.”

“It’s not a rule. It's just common sense. You invite trouble when you take things that don’t belong to you.”

“Like every squirrel and rabbit belongs solely to one beast…,” the omega scoffed darkly under his breath.

“What was that?”

“Nothing.”

Erik grunted at him then resumed walking, a wordless order for Leiss to follow high strung in the air. What the alpha said was logical, but he couldn’t help but feel that what he said didn’t apply to this situation. Would someone really notice if a single creature disappeared? After all, they were already trespassing—their scent was incriminating enough so it was only rational to think an intruder would probably steal food anyway (even if they didn’t’). But he knew arguing the point was just a waste of breath. Yet that didn’t prevent his stomach from rumbling mournfully while he had to repeatedly dislodge the salvia welling in his mouth by swallowing. Just turn away from the hare and her offspring foraging for food a little distance away; ignore how everything was within his grasp but he couldn’t grab it because it was _ wrong _to do so.

According to Erik.

Hazel hues visualized a nice sized rock that he passed earlier in his mind's eye; imagined the weight of it in his palm; how it would feel launching it between furry ears. It was terrible how much pleasure he derived from the image alone. At least it humored him till they arrived to what he presumed to be their destination. 

A lone redwood tree stood prominent amongst a grove of smaller trees with branches that seemed to scratch the sky, leaves an amalgamation of different colors and shapes. A decent-sized hollow in the shape of an entrance was carved out into the base of the huge tree. A gentle light beckoned from within. The stench of many herbs and other medicinal items brushed against his nostrils, reminiscent to the abode of the shaman back at home. It was a therapeutic scent on normal occasion but there was an odor that mingled with it. An Earthwalker one. He hoped his dubious expression was enough to prompt some type of reassurance from Erik, but the feline merely flicked his tail in the tree’s direction and headed inside. 

Swallowing back a sigh, bringing his wings closer to his body as much as he could, he took a step in, making a sound of surprise as the path immediately begin to dip, creating a slight incline into further depths. But the light called, guiding them from further missteps, growing larger as they grew close. His heart beat a little faster, avian instinct making him restless at going further underground, the threat of claustrophobia dilating his pupils. No space to stretch his wings. No calming sky above.

“Cub, is that you? You stink more than usual.”

Leiss almost felt his feathers come loose at the rough voice that bounced off the walls the moment they came into the room where the light had been coming from. The source of it was little wood containers that hung from the ceiling that was not as high as he would like. Upon closer inspection, fireflies fluttered too and fro from within, seemingly content to just buzz around in their confinement. Compared to Erik’s cave, this dwelling was decorated sparsely, but at the same time, it was conventional and comely. It agreed with his omegan sensibilities more than he would admit despite it being underground. He didn’t have to look far to see who the homeowner belonged to, already solving that mystery.

Standing a little shorter than himself but deceptively broad in the shoulders, was a curious beast that his limited knowledge of Earthwalkers couldn’t properly identify. The only thing he could say for certain was that the beast was female. Beta (perhaps) if going from pheromones alone. Circular ears popped up from a black cascade of shoulder-length locks, separated quizzically by a broad, singular white stripe down the middle. She seemed older than them both going from the slight age lines around her eyes, but he sensed no frailty throughout her body. She was dressed simply in an unrestrictive, knee-length skirt while a fur covering supported her breast. Her tail was thick and broad and was nowhere near as dexterous as Erik’s.

But the most curious thing about her was her eyes.

They would have been the most startling of crimson if they hadn’t settled into a pinkish hue from the milky-white glaze over them.

And they were staring right at him.

Leiss looked away, unnerved. 

“It’s nice to see you're still your lovely self.” Erik said smoothly in response to her earlier call, a touch of sarcasm within his words if you squint hard enough. “I brought you breakfast in case you had grown sterile in your old age.”

The beast bared her fangs at him in a surprising show of moxy. “And it's nice to see you’ve learned some manners. Go on, put the fish down over yonder.”

“Yonder” wasn’t exactly specified but Erik didn’t seem to have any trouble placing it down on a smooth surface a short way away, leaving Leiss to remain restlessly in place. Despite the blindness he was sure that ailed the female, he still felt like he was being scrutinized past the layer of his flesh. Past the layer of mortality to the plain beyond.

“Why are you here cub? Break your tail again doing something you weren't supposed to be doing? Come on, tell me.”

Erik pointedly ignored the mockery and raised eyebrows from his omega companion, crossing his arms like he wasn’t sure what to do with them. There was a story here but getting it would prove impossible most likely. “That hasn’t happened since I was a child—”

“And you’re still a child. No matter how tall you think you’ve grown,” she cut off with a dismissive flick of her hand.

The hybrid looked like he wanted to say something else before coming to the wise conclusion that it would be pointless. Sagely he decided to change the subject, opting for getting to the point. “I need a favor, Cregga. Please.”

“Is this about your mate you have yet to introduce to me?”

Leiss bristled but Erik was quicker to react, the anxious twitching of his tail betraying emotions he couldn't discern. “I—yes. He’s…,” the alpha trailed off, lost. Despite this, he refused to acknowledge the omega silently snarling at him in cold fury, waiting for a correction that he wasn’t sure was coming. “This is Leiss. He’s an…eagle I found recently washed up along the river. I’ve been watching over him and I can’t afford to leave him alone because—”

“He’s an omega and the only one in the forest at that,” Cregga deadpanned, rolling her eyes. “I’m blind but my nose works just fine, whelp. I reckon you decided to keep him as yours, is that it? Well you are getting to that point in your life I suppose…”

“I don’t belong to him!”

Both sets of eyes shifted to Leiss who simply couldn’t contain himself any longer, unwilling to stand there silently while people talked about him as if he wasn’t in the room. His outburst left him panting slightly, eyes burning furiously at the alpha who glowered him at with a mixture of possessiveness and exasperation. “I don’t belong to him,” he reiterated, calmly this time, “And he knows this.”

“Well I was wondering if the little bird had a voice. It's nice to see that he does, otherwise I wouldn’t approve. I don't think an overtly submissive omega would be suitable for an idiotic cub like yourself. No one would be there to get your tail out of trouble.”

Leiss’s eye twitched and the corner of Erik’s mouth curled in the first onset of mirth seen from him in days. Heedless of either, Cregga continued:

“So, you want him to stay here? Not feeling confident in ensuring your mate-to-be safety is it?”

All traces of amusement vanished instantly, those green eyes narrowed and dangerous as Erik proclaimed hotly, “I can protect him just fine on my own!” Even in the face of an alpha whose pride just got tested, Cregga remained undaunted, her face patiently waiting for all that bluster to fall away. In record time, knowing he wasn’t impressing anyone, Erik looked away petulantly, uttering darkly, “Even I have my limitations…I guess.”

“Good! You can learn some humility occasionally. I don’t know where you find space in that head of yours for all that cockiness.”

Exasperated, he asked again, “Are you going to help me or not you old beast?”

She wasn’t one to be disrespected it would seem; faster than Leiss could blink, the beta placed a well-aimed swipe across the alpha’s nose, causing him to hiss and glare mutinously at her. Strong hands rested at her hips, imposing despite the fact she was the shortest one in the room. “Manners, you ill-begotten cub! And you have yet to explain why you need him to stay here.”

“Koios intends to take him from me.”

“Well you would be foolish to think no one would try a hand at securing an omega. Especially some of the foul sort in these woods.”

Erik carefully rubbed his nose, appearing as if he didn’t want to fully disclose their circumstances. “He intends to kill me.”

“That Lost Pup never really liked you to begin with, but he leaves well enough alone if you don’t disturb his family,” Cregga reasoned gruffly. Leiss immediately latched onto the implication that Koios and Erik had a past relationship of some kind, hoping he may get some more information later.

Something in her sentence caused the alpha to shift unconsciously in his spot, countenance taking on a grimness that reflected the situation. “He has made a Declaration of Blood against me. I’m pretty sure his intentions are genuine this time.”

“Why would he—”

“I killed one of his brothers,” Erik said sharply, not a trace of regret to be found in his tone. Picking up on this, Cregga’s expression turned serious, a hint of displeasure showing in the harsh frown on her face. Not feeling the need to be judged, he continued, “The beast was trying to force himself on Leiss, so I felt like my actions were justified.”

“And simply sending him away with his tail between his legs wasn’t enough?”

“_No!_ He had no right to touch what wasn’t his!”

Even Leiss felt his hackles stand on end at the immediate snarl that accompanied those possessive words, almost balking at the oppressiveness of alpha pheromones going haywire. Pupils slitted into vertical slits; stance shifting possessively to partially cover him; Erik looked the part of dominant alpha aggravated by a threat to its mate, unfounded as that was. Yet Cregga maintained her composure—perhaps not cowed due to the infamous beta poise of being the least affected by even the subtlest change in pheromones and scent. Leiss envied them for that and often, over the course of his life, wished he presented that of the tranquil, secondary sex.

And Cregga used that to full effect here, waiting patiently for the display of unreasonable alpha instinct to run its course. She waited till the angry lines of Erik’s face eased away and she was able to speak freely again. “I’m not judging you on your actions, cub. I just want you to be aware of the consequences that was born from them. And to remind you of my stance of neutrality.”

That lithe tail flickered abruptly, the tuft of hair at the end almost brushing Leiss's nose. “I’m not asking you to take sides…just to keep an eye on Leiss while I hunt off my territory.”

“Off your territory?”

“I found the prey animals on my land ripped open for the maggots to feast upon. Not a single chunk of meat was devoured —a waste. Koios and his family are doing this; their putrid stench is all around the carcasses.”

For once, the older beast looked alarmed, unable to fully hide how disturbed she was from the news. “That’s an affront against the balance of life. Even he—”

“Has lost his mind…whatever little there was,” Erik finished scathingly, taken to pacing to deal with the tension building in his body. “This is cowardly—the dog knows he cannot beat me in a confrontation.”

“Don’t be foolish,” snapped the beta, irritated. “That pup has numbers. Even you would fall if he threw his whole family at you. What this is...it's a declaration of suffering. Perhaps he wants you to understand just a little of the pain he feels at you taking his brother from him.”

That didn’t occur to Leiss and his eyes began to shine with understanding and maybe even to a small degree, pity. Erik, on the other hand, was forever unrepentant, pausing in his fretful movements to fix the beta with an incomprehensible look. “Well, he would still be alive if he hadn’t been where he wasn't supposed to be.”

She looked ready to take another swipe at him, but she settled for a sigh that bespoke of long years dealing with Erik’s brand of stubbornness, turning away from them to approach the offering the alpha brought. And just like that, Leiss was reminded just how hungry he was.

“Tossing that aside for the moment, I gather you don’t want to hunt here?”

“No. I was going to ask Boris if he wouldn’t mind if I hunted on his lands at the base of the mountain. The prey is bigger there and I need enough meat to last for awhile.”

Cregga took a bite out of the fish, speaking only when she swallowed. “Huh, I suppose the old bear wouldn’t mind seeing as he’s renounced all meat. I suppose you have his beloved honey to win him over?”

“Give me some credit. I’m always prepared.” The confidence in that statement was in direct contrast to the mood that had been hanging around him for the last week Leiss thought to himself, observing as Erik made his way to the entryway. Still, those eyes didn’t seem eager to look upon him and the eagle didn’t know why that made his insides twist, a ghost of the spectral agony that’s been hounding him since that night rearing its ugly head.

“You could at least feed your mate-to-be before your trip. Maybe catch something for yourself too, you inconsiderate cub.”

At the older beast’s behest and barked permission, Erik left long enough for Cregga to snap at Leiss to sit down (she had grown tired of watching him fidget awkwardly where he stood) but not enough for him to get comfortable in his seat. When Erik came back, the instinctual pleasure of a successful hunt was burning in his eyes, two hares and a couple of squirrels hanging limply from his grasp. Their necks were at awkward angles, signifying their cause of death. He was presented with a hare (the fattest out of the two) and a squirrel to supplement the meal. It was almost sad how instantaneous the joy was from being presented this, looking up with genuine gratitude at brilliant verdant eyes that had regained some of their softness from before.

“Thank you.”

It was simple, those two words, but he managed to pour every ounce of sincerity that he could in them.

Erik didn’t say a word, but the telling twitch of his tail was enough before he bid a simple “I’ll be back", departing.

It was just Cregga and him now, but the omega didn’t let that faze him, too consumed by his hunger to delay eating further.

And perhaps she understood this, or simply sensed the ravenous hunger rolling off him because she didn’t hinder him with conversation once he started tearing into succulent meat with eager fangs. Each mouthful was heaven; savory meat glazed with iron-rich blood; nutrient dense organs and even a guilty helping of fat on the side. He ate till there was nothing left but pristine white bones and tufts of fur, hardly beating back the lethargy compelling him to sleep. Sleep till Erik got back, and they could go home—

Leiss blanched, disgusted.

Associating Erik with home should never happen. Never.

“You share a special bond with the cub, don’t you?”

Startled out of his reverie, Leiss sat up in reproach to the Earthwalker, watching with little interest at her moving things around her abode, each step self-assured. Practiced. It reminded him vaguely of Erik. “No, I don’t. He’s helping me while my wing mends. That’s pretty much the extent of our relationship.”

“Uh-huh.” She sounded like she didn’t believe him, even chuckled as if what he said was funny in some manner. He didn’t know why that irked him, unconsciously fisting the fabric of his pants. 

“It’s the truth.”

“And how many times a day do you try to convince yourself of that? Look, little chick, I may be blind but even I can see the spiritual threads connecting the both of you.”

Leiss’s heart skipped a beat, petrified. Surely, she couldn’t mean… No, that was impossible. 

Desperate to keep that blasphemous thing smothered, he snapped back, voice rising a fair bit. “That’s utter nonsense. There isn’t any connection of any kind between us. If you don’t mind dropping the topic of our relationship—”

“It hurts doesn’t it? Denying it. Your bond. I can see how strained and feeble it is. At how you both are suffering separately when together you’re stronger.” She interrupted with an infuriating gentleness, continuing her busy work unfettered, like she didn’t hear the craziness of her words.

But Leiss did, could feel his brain claw feebly at the fleshy walls of his skull, anxious to get away from this bizarre beast who spoke of things she knew naught. On things that didn’t exist. Yet his heart and soul united against his very rational brain, tearing shaking, incriminating words from him. “How…would you know this? It’s not possible.”

Here, Cregga stopped moving. She turned around, facing his general direction. The smile on her face was disarming yet warm and something began to crumble inside him.

“I am what you would call a Seer, young one. I often have insight regarding the Great Mother’s will and her designs for all those in her care.”

The eagle made a muffled noise of surprise, hazel hues wide. “You know of the Great Mother? I thought only she spoke—”

“To your kind? No, that is naïve. All the beast inhabiting this land are all her children.”

“But my father always told me avian kind were her beloved. That we were her Chosen. The Earthwalkers—err your kind, rejected her so you can’t communicate with her like we can.”

The beta rolled unseeing eyes. Her next words weren’t unkind, “The words and signs of the Mother are often skewed by those who interpret them to suit their own purposes.”

“Are you saying my father lied to us?” Leiss demanded crossly, fire in his eyes.

“Peace, child. I meant no offense.” She held up her hands placatingly as she took her time maneuvering to a polished stump across from the bird, her expression stern. “It was just something to consider—no beast is perfect, and it's natural to make mistakes.”

It felt wrong to even humor the thought that what his father—no, his parents because they both played a role in raising him—imparted to him was untrue. At the same time, he couldn’t deny the chord of truth in the old beast’s words, causing his stomach to churn queasily, a threat to the meal he just ingested. Did the Earthwalkers also share the Mother’s teachings? Did they hear her speak? They were savage and killed his kind indiscriminately…but wasn’t that true for them as well. To defend themselves and prevent further death, they initiated attacks too didn’t they? _ All for good reason _ , father would tell him. _ Because they didn’t have a choice _. And being a good son, he didn’t question this; thought his father knew best. He was Chief after all—his interest was for the good of the tribe. Despite all these well-intentions, he couldn’t shake the frightening concern that perhaps this hostility between races was…

Misguided. 

“I can see I gave you something to consider. But we should get back to the topic at hand. Why were you so adamant about denying the existence of the bond between you two?”

Leiss's eyes flew up to stare at the beast whose questions seemed to disturb the equilibrium within him. This one was no exception. Talking about that…that _ thing _ between them wasn’t something he was comfortable with, but she was the only one who seemed to have any idea what it was. He answered her, voice detached, indifferent, “Because it's blasphemous and wrong.”

“What makes it blasphemous?”

Her patience was aggravating but the blond continued, eyes narrowed. “I never heard of something happening like this.”

“Yes, this is an extremely rare occurrence. One I’ve only heard told to children as tales before bed back when I was a child. A remnant of a time from a past long forgotten.”

“What is it then?”

Cregga's expression was whimsical, pink eyes settling on something he couldn’t see. “It doesn’t have a name.”

“Then how does the tale go?” Leiss tried again, anxious.

But she wouldn’t release all her knowledge at once and to his growing frustration, steered the conversation adrift again. “Why are you opposed to being Erik’s mate?”

“What?” The eagle eyes widened, flabbergasted. It was so obvious; how couldn’t she— “He’s an Earthwalker. Our people are killing each other right now as we speak! We don’t see eye to eye. Period.”

“But as an individual, you’re attracted to him no? Despite your reasoning.”

_ For the love of— _ “No! He’s an idiot who thinks he knows everything, including what is best for me. He’s childish, stubborn, hot-headed and…and doesn’t have any feathers. It's weird! And I never seen a tail like that. I…”

Leiss trialed off in the face of a knowing smirk slapped onto that wizened countenance. For some reason, heat flushed throughout his entire body all the way to the tips of his ears, catching his bottom lip between his fangs as he looked away. “He’s an idiot.” He repeated, sourly, embarrassed.

“Yes, he is.” At least they agreed on something. “The cub has always been unruly since he came here. Alone and not knowing his place in this world. He has a good heart and firmly believes in what his mother told him from what I understand.”

“His mother…?” A reluctant curiosity blossomed despite his impression of Erik.

“Yes. I didn’t personally know her, but she told Erik some thing that he took to heart.”

“Which is?”

“When he encountered his mate, he would know.”

The eagles head throbbed painfully, feeling the onset of a headache. “And he thinks that’s me?”

“Possibly.” 

Leiss didn’t do good with vague, groaning as he placed his forehead on the smooth surface before them, his good wing slouching almost to mirror the unnatural slump of the other. “I…I’m already intended for someone else. We can’t—there’s just no way.”

Perhaps sensing his confusion or just listening to the despair build in his straining voice, it took an attempt or two, but she managed to place a surprisingly strong hand on his bare shoulder. It was rough but warm and gentle, like the bark of an old oak tree.

“We are all part of the Mother’s great scheme. She has intentions for all of us…even if we don’t necessarily agree with it.”

The eagle closed his eyes, wondering when the world stopped making sense. 

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

Erik didn’t come back till the next morning, meaning that Leiss had endured a whole day with the enigmatic beast that was Cregga.

Turns out that she was what they called a badger. Not that it mattered; all Earthwalkers honestly looked the same to him.

In all fairness, she wasn’t bad; not taking their first, solo conversation together into account, she was good company. She seemed to flip flop between grumpy one moment and weirdly motherly the next. She had made sure to take advantage of Leiss’s sight before he could rest for the night. It ranged from minimal things to questionable things—busy work to be precise. Dislodge some stray roots growing from the wall; go up and sprinkle some foul-smelling dust around the tree; help move some furniture she was beginning to get annoyed with. Things of that nature. 

Once he was done, she conjured some oats and berries for dinner in which she extended a portion to share. Politely, Leiss had to deny her gesture of hospitality, knowing that most prey foods would not settle well with his stomach. To remedy this, she granted him permission to seek food above, returning this generosity with a share of his catch.

Cornering the creatures had been easier than he thought; they were not leery of him as they should for the sole denizen of this area didn’t hunt and could subsist on other sources.

It was just nice going to sleep with a full belly.

Expectedly, it had been a little difficult for Erik to rouse him, groaning quietly at gentle prods and the presence of a very familiar scent. Looming intensely above him were intense green eyes chiseled into an unreadable face.

“Hey, it’s time to go.”

Moments later they were getting ready to leave, Leiss standing outside while Erik shared parting words with Cregga back in her hollow. This wasn’t much of a problem—the omega was more enraptured by the multiple carcasses of what seemed to be the biggest deer he’s ever seen. There were three of them, piled unceremoniously atop the other. It was mind-boggling how Erik could have brought this back on his own, but there had been traces of another Earthwalker scent hanging around. Conscientious of the fact that he was still mentally tired, he knew he wasn’t up for meeting someone else. Especially if they were as…_ personable _ as Cregga.

So, he was more than a little glad when Erik came out, grabbed two of the dead animal’s legs behind him, and prepared to drag the thing back with them. Seeing hazel eyes flicker to the other two, Erik simply said:

“I’ll be back for them later.”

Leaving it at that for now, they began their quiet journey back to Erik’s cave, the air between them not as tense as it once was but not quite as amicable either. 

It had only been a day of separation, a day to digest what he had been told, but already some of Leiss’s previous misgivings had shifted fundamentally. When he took in that muscular back tense and strained from dragging such a heavy thing behind him, there wasn't any animosity or wariness in his gaze. No ill-thoughts that he was indebted to a savage. He looked past the furry appendages that were so different from his feathered ones; looked past the resentment and rancor between their two races and recognized there was an individual there that existed outside of that. Erik lived out here, alone. He was not apart of the main settlement of Earthwalkers they confronted. Not apart of those beasts that attacked him and broke his wing. So, wouldn’t it be fair to not treat him as such? Could he, at least for the time being, treat him as he would one of his own people?

Not that this would mean they were mates or anything because—_ no _. They could still…still be friends. Nothing more. Nothing less.

A familiar sensation thrummed pleasantly at the conclusion he reached, one that almost stole his breath. For a moment, he thought he saw Erik falter in his steps but that was impossible—the beast was sure-footed on land as a bird in the sky. 

A need to release all this pent-up thoughts and emotions welled up within Leiss, forcing him to come to an abrupt halt, fist clenching and unclenching at his sides.

“Erik.”

The alpha stopped but didn’t turn around. Leiss continued before he lost his nerve.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry for…all of this. For causing Koios and his family to torment us like this, knowing you will have to deal with the aftermath. I’m sorry that I haven’t been forthcoming in expressing my gratitude for the help you extended to me when you didn’t have to. For sharing your food and home with a stranger. I have been unkind…and I understand why you would be upset with me. And…,” his voice began to waver, eyes closing shut, “I’m sorry for my words that night.”

The words left a sickening vulnerability in their wake and a part of Leiss wanted to reel them back out of cowardice. It wasn’t as if he felt wholly responsible, but a part knew his presence here disturbed the unspoken order of this place. The only thing he could do to help would be to get better as soon as possible and leave… But what of Erik? Leaving him to face the consequences of his interference here was cruel. Yet another part of his mind posed what possible use could he be here anyway? He wasn’t weak by any means; he knew how to defend himself if need be. Just his strength was brittle in comparison to the might of an alpha. But Erik was strong. Erik could kill with ease—he’s seen it. With all that strength, all that skill came a caveat that was whispered treacherously in his ear:

_ Erik was alone. _

The solution was dancing in front of him but he was so _ scared _ at the implications—

Hazel hues blinked rapidly at the weight of a hand clasping his shoulder, warm, strong, and comforting all at once. The eyes that gazed back at him were kind, threatening to consume him with their peerless depths.

“Relax, I was never upset with you. But if it makes you feel better, I forgive you.”

A weight that he didn’t know existed in the pit of his stomach diffused and a true smile ensnared Leiss’s lips before he could catch himself. Although, replaying the sentence in his mind made his eyebrows draw together in confusion. “You wasn’t angry with me? But you were so...distant.” _ Cold. Standoffish. _For lack of a better word.

Erik made a noncommittal sound in his throat, sheepishly scratching behind a black-furred ear, that tail of his flexing with anxious energy. His scent took on an odor that he could only describe as apprehensive. “Okay, I admit your words did hurt. A little anyway. So I needed to put some space between us so I can come up with a solution to change your mind.”

“Change my mind?” Echoed the bird, stuck between being mystified or concerned.

Erik nodded, something in his gaze hardening even though his voice retained that easy husk of his. “Yeah, about us. About you know…,” some vague hand motion was made and Leiss nodded indulgently so the other could continue, completely lost, “Then it occured to me while I was out trying to hunt.”

“And that would be…?”

“I’m going to get you to fall in love with me.”

And the world suddenly flipped upside down again. 

Leiss experienced a disturbing flash of motion sickness, brain short circuiting as he tried to process something that only Erik could say with such a straight face. When he spoke, his voice was faint with his disbelief, unsteady.

“You…? What…? Erik, how did you even—_what_? You’re...joking right?”

Erik frowned, centimeters away from becoming offended. “Why would I joke about this? You don’t think I’m serious?”

_ Of course I do. It’s what I’m afraid of. _

“I’m not saying you’re not...but Erik, _ how? _” Leiss was slowly regaining control of his facilities. He was surprised at the odd feelings inside him. Bemusement. Skepticism. And a healthy dose of incredulity. “Saying that you could, how are you going to solve the problems that would cause? We are from two different races—that hate each other by the way. I...I have a people to return to that probably think I’m dead...or worse. Its not feasible to think such a thing would work.”

“We would make it work. You could visit your people whenever you wanted and I don’t care what they would think of us or the petty squabbles between our races. Out here, I'm free and...you could be too,” the hybrid finished softly. The Matter-of-factness in his tone was compelling, like this was already how things were.

It was amazing how confident he was. Confident in that he could capture his heart so easily. If it wasn’t so astonishing, Leiss might have felt affronted. 

A touch of dry humor oozed into his voice, tone becoming wry and disbelieving. “I wonder where all that confidence comes from…? Or should I say recklessness? I’d believe you—”

Furry ears perked up, hopeful.

“—if it wasn’t so ridiculous."

They instantaneous fold of those ears was almost distracting in how...cutely expressive they were.

"Things rarely work out the way we want." Leiss started again, trying to finish before he lost his nerve. "And what makes you think you could get me to fall for you anyway? Just because I’m an omega doesn’t mean I'll bend over backwards for any alpha that thinks they can seduce me.”

Erik, realizing this conversation was quickly beginning to sour, changed his approach, meeting that golden-eyed gaze equally and unassumingly. The sincerity in them was almost nauseating. “No, it's not like that. I want to...I want to get to know you Leiss. And for you to know me. I believe, without a doubt, that we were meant for each other.”

A ghost of Cregga’s words came to mind, causing his heart to beat a little faster. “Erik, when my wing heals, I’m going back home.” His words weren’t cruel, just another statement of fact.

But the alpha wouldn’t be deterred despite the words pulling a wince from him. His determination was admirable. “Give me until that time it takes for them to heal to make it happen then. And you must give me a fair chance.”

Unbelievable. Leiss knew that whatever he said wouldn’t be enough to dissuade him so he didn’t have much of a choice. But it would be false to deny the presence of the tiniest spark of intrigue in his heart or how the omega in him thrilled at the challenge, effectively interested. “Do what you want Erik—I’m not going to stop you.”

“You mean it?”

“I don’t think anything I can say will convince you otherwise, so yes. I just ask that…,” Leiss sucked in a breath, unable to hear anything but the pounding of his heart, “you don’t try to force your will on me with this...connection we share. That you don't abuse it.”

Erik’s eyes widened. “I would never, Leiss.”

The blond didn’t acknowledge this verbally but the look in his eyes told the alpha what he needed to know so they could be on their way again, going back to dragging the corpse with them. A skeptical part of his conscious wondered if Leiss had lost his mind giving Erik permission to—for all intents and purposes—_court _him. He even lightly revealed his fragile acceptance of their bond. Speaking with that Earthwalker female frazzled him more than he thought. Or maybe the veil over his eyes had simply lifted. Still, there was one question itching at the back of his mind, one that he had to ask.

“Erik.”

Again the feline paused, sensing the words about to come.

“What if my wing heals and you're unsuccessful?”

There is no hesitation. No moment to consider anything else.

“We shall never know because I don’t intend to fail.”

And he was walking forward again, all alpha confidence and pride. Fear could not touch him. His heart was free of any thoughts of doubt.

Leiss closed his eyes, a soft chuckle slipping past thin lips.

_ Okay then, Erik. Come get me, if you can. _

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys liked it! Any questions, feel free to ask! Till next time!


	4. Uncertainty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's another random update! This time I decided to change things up a little and make this a Erik-centric chapter so you have some insight on how he view things. Some of those story tags come into play here so beware. Enjoy!

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

_ Vulnerability is basically uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure. _ ** _—Brene Brown_ **

~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

_ Mother was humming that song again. The one he liked. The one that had no words but you kind of understood the meaning of anyway. _

_ Even for a young cub like himself. _

_ Green hues blinked up into the verdant ones so much like his own; they reminded him of the color of leaves, but a lot prettier he would always insist. The face they were set into was beautiful; the innate kindness in her features accentuated the youthfulness of her appearance. Atop a falling river of onyx hair nestled triangular furry, black ears much like his own, flickering reflexively to dissuade the small gnats that wanted to leech of her warmth. Finding the whole thing incredibly humorous, he mimicked the same motion with his own ears, giggling all the while. Ah, and just like that, Mother was smiling at him in a way that made his heart swell with warmth and his little tail curl with delight. The love and awe he held for his mother was incomparable. _

_ She meant the entire world to him. _

_ Correction: _

_ She was his entire world. _

_ Maybe sensing the direction of his thoughts or seeking a reason why he was staring at her so unabashedly, his mother stopped her song to address him. Her speaking voice was pretty too but the feeling of longing was instantaneous once the song was gone, like missing an old friend. “Is there something on my face, Erik?” _

_ “No mama, you're just pretty.” The cub stated with all the seriousness a child could muster. _

_ Again, that smile was everything. Something confusing twisted in his stomach at the sheer radiance of it, nearly purring at how she carded her fingers through his unkempt hair, trying to dislodge the water droplets clinging to each strand. They were in the middle of him getting a bath, something he tolerated because he usually got rewarded if he was exceptionally well-behaved. Maybe he'd get a bone this time. The insides had that tasty stuff inside them that he liked to suck on. _

_ “Well aren’t you a little flatterer? Thank you, my love.” _

_ Erik beamed at the compliment, momentarily distracted by his wiggling toes peeking up from beneath the surface of the water. Not so far off, he could see the other children playing in the distance, laughing in a way that made his belly tense with want and something else. Something unpleasant. Biting his lip, he posed a question to his mother: _

_ “Mama, why can’t I play with the others?” _

_ It was a question he had asked many a time before. One that he knew the answer to, but couldn’t help but ask anyway. Call it childish persistence if you would. _

_ Just like every time before, his mother’s eyes would sadden inexplicably, darkened by something he didn’t understand. The fingers grooming him stopped. “Because your father wouldn’t like it if you did, love.” _

_ Same answer as always. Yet that didn’t stop the influx of angry confusion that welled up within him, baring diminutive fangs not at her, but at some invisible foe. “But why? When will I get to meet him? Why does he not visit me? I’m good! You say I’m good!” _

_ Her sorrow deepens but Erik isn’t quick to release childish anger and ignorance, even if it makes him feel bad for bothering his mother. “Your father is very busy, but you will meet him soon.” _

_ She’s been saying “soon” his whole life he thinks, so Erik knew that was all he would get out of her. It wasn’t worth the sadness to keep asking a question with the same answer. It wasn’t worth her pain. After all, she was so very beautiful when she smiled. _

_ Erik’s young mind was able to acknowledge this without difficulty, so he decided to go for a less complicated line of questioning, one that every beast concerned themselves with on a day to day basis. Despite being thoroughly washed, the cub scratched insistently at the stark outline of ribs pressing against the underside of sun-kissed skin, blinking up at his mother owlishly. _

_ “Mama…when are we going to eat again?” _

_ The she-cat looked thoughtful, trying to find an accurate answer that could appease her child. He was used to this painful gnawing in his belly but its been a couple of days or so since their last meal. It was getting harder to keep track. Harder to maintain his grip on reality. He was trying to be strong for his mother because she was suffering too. _

_ “You’ll eat tonight. I promise.” _

_ “Okay.” _

_ Mother sealed her promise with a kiss between the ears as she encouraged him out of the water, dried and dressed by the time they were walking home. The sun had already begun to set over the tree line and the other children were already being herded back into the village. Erik tilted his head in their direction, wondering why their home was with everyone else and his mother and himself were isolated in the little encampment a short distance away from the village. It was another question that he would ask but the cub knew that it wasn’t time for questions—he’s already exhausted all those opportunities for today. _

_ The two older beasts that mother called Overseers hardly acknowledged them when they walked past, but his sharp ears twitched at the curse of disgust that couldn’t be mistaken upon their arrival. He’s known them ever since he could remember—regularly stationed at the entrance leading to the secluded area that has been home since forever. Erik didn’t understand why they seemed to hate him if mother said they protected them. Mother protected him but she didn’t hate him. So why? It was all really confusing but he learned to just not draw attention to himself. _

_ It was easier that way. _

_ When they passed through the flap of the tipi (their dwelling), his eyes didn’t really get a chance to wander before he was being pulled to their resting area. They weren’t alone—they never were. Other beast dwelled there too; mostly cubs like him that varied in age. It had been strange to him for awhile once realizing none of them had mothers. When they went to sleep, they slept alone or curled up against one another, doing anything to survive the cold nights. When they were sick—which was common—they either endured or succumbed, having neither the strength nor the will to carry on. He had asked his mother once why their home always carried that weird scent: the one that was unpleasant and curled his tummy. _

_ He remembered her tears when he asked. _

_ It was the scent of death and sickness. Of suffering and despair. _

_ At that time, it had only been the third cold season of his existence. _

_ Mother sank down onto the worn fur that consisted of their bedding, bringing him with her as he dug his nose into the familiar softness underneath them, inhaling the scent of the faded stain on its surface in greeting. It was where his mother had birthed him, so it has always been special to him. After the short ritual, Erik squirmed until he was curled against his mother’s bosom where she had taken to threading her fingers soothingly through his hair again, the fur of her tail downy soft against the skin of his leg. Her scent was ambrosial, lulling him into a doze as it often did, chasing away the cruel reality that he didn’t know could be different. _

_ Somewhere close by, a child took one last struggling breath and stilled. Erik squeezed his eyes shut, whispering in a frightened voice: _

_ “Mama, I think Ash died.” _

_ The she-cat squeezed him tighter. “I’ll…I’ll check on him when I can. Just get some rest.” _

_ “…'kay.” _

_ Time passes slowly but Erik is soon drifting off, on the precipice of dreamless slumber, trying to conserve energy that he didn’t really have. But unlike every time—well that he’s aware off—mother slips off into the night, leaving him clawing weakly at her imprint and fading warmth. Finding nothing, he is quick to sit up, alarmed and frightened. He tastes the air, filtering out the sick and rot of the others for the sweeter one that he loved so he could follow it. It dragged him out of the sleeping area and through the entrance of their small enclosure, all the way past the Overseers. They were older so they frequently slept more than watched when the moon came out; it was hardly an issue slipping past them. Just...if Mother saw him, she would be so upset with him. _

_ But maybe she was in trouble? Maybe she needed help? _

_ The thoughts spurred his young brain into a desperate frenzy, only hesitating when the scent lead him towards village. The homes here were so much more elaborate than what he was used to—so much warmer and spacious. Yet Erik didn’t have the time to marvel at how he’s never stepped a foot into the area or how much nicer everything appeared to be. No, his mother needed help. _

_ A couple more homes went by till he came onto one that seemed to be the biggest of them all. It intimidated the cub, but mother’s scent emitted strongest from within. Erik snooped around till he found a place that he could climb and peer into an opening, a sense of urgency in his spindly limbs upon hearing her voice. She sounded like she was crying. In pain. _

_ Frantic green eyes widened at what he saw. _

_ “Please. It’s been a couple of days since he last ate. Any longer and he could die—” _

_ “It’s not my concern… And it wouldn’t have been yours if you just let it die like I told you.” _

_ A beast was looming over his frightened mother. The biggest beast he’s ever seen in his young life. It stripped him of his ability to move, virtually petrified and suspended in a state of horrified awe. It grabbed at her, ridding her of her feeble coverings as it turned her over to her knees, snarling all the while: _

_ “You should have killed it.” _

_ It…got close to his mom, craning over her, doing something to her that made her make a weird sound. She didn’t resist—didn’t fight back as it snarled over and over at her the same harsh thing that would ingrain itself into his young mind forever more. _

_ “You should have killed it.” _

_ It was hurting his mother, making these bestial sounds that made his fur stand on end. Mother's cries were muffled, face hidden in the crook of her arm as he used her beautiful hair as leverage too… _

_ He didn’t notice when he started crying. _

_ “You should have killed it.” _

_ He didn’t understand _ ** _why_ ** _ . _

_ “You should have killed it.” _

_ But he knew deep down, those words were meant for him. _

** _Please stop. Stop hurting my mother—_ **

Verdant green hues snapped open as a body jerked up as if shocked, perspiration streaming heavily down lightly tanned skin.

A dream. It was just a dream. A dream of a time long past.

Yet to this day, it still haunts him, still terrifies and reminds him that he never grew up from that powerless little cub.

Erik passed a hand over his face, collecting the sweat that had surfaced and trying to regain his composure. Darkness had yet to recede; morning wouldn’t come for some time; and his body was still high-strung with the lingering vestibules of the memory. In all honesty, he had deserved that—he shouldn’t have been sleeping in the first place when a threat stalked so brazenly in his territory. And it wasn’t as if the only thing on the line was himself… No, there was so much more now.

Right on que, the golden-haired beauty mumbled something as he shifted languidly on the bed of furs, causing sea-green hues to soften marginally.

_ So much more indeed _.

The hybrid stretched with all the flexibility his feline body allowed, fighting off the urge to slip quietly underneath the cover of those large wings and get close. It has only been a day since they began speaking again, since he told Leiss his intentions, how he would win his heart. As much as he would like to, Erik was sure the bird wouldn’t quite like if he woke up and his space had been encroached upon. Technically, it was his space, but something told him Leiss's mind didn’t work on technicalities. And what a strange but endearing mind it was. Some of the bird's thoughts or how he viewed things contrasted consistently with his own perceptions. It was finding that he had gleaned merely from conversation, but more so made apparent from the connection they shared.

As if reacting to his introspection, a pulse of life thrummed in agreement within the link shared between them. Leiss shifted again, face scrunched with skepticism as if doubtful even in the land of dreams.

Again, Erik’s eyes softened, the warmth and life from the bond coming to wrap around his heart in a way that made his breath stutter.

He had missed it—their connection; the way brief figments of feeling and thought drifted between them; how all the loneliness plaguing his soul was cured by another. The previous days without it had been difficult and his mind refused to go back down that avenue, turning his back towards the present—to face the tree line outside of his cave. Erik knew sleep wasn’t something he could indulge in, drawing a sense of restlessness from him that wouldn’t be cured by simply sitting here. If anything, this was an opportune time to test a hunch that has been bothering him for days. 

Erik cast one more glance at the blissfully ignorant creature in his bed, wrapped protectively in furs soaked with his scent. He allowed himself to linger for a moment, tearing himself away lest he get ensnared and forget what needed to be done. Casting one more cautionary sweep of the area, the feline had climbed down from the entrance of his home, silently sneaking off along the path of his favored hunting trial.

The night was quiet and undisturbed; the air still and rank with scents that didn’t belong; and the scent of prey was stale, unfresh. All the signs that proceeded a bad hunt were abound, indicating what a momentous waste of time this could turn out to be. Luckily, this time anyway, the prey he had in mind was unusual and would require a different approach to catch.

To start with, Erik would need a rabbit.

Years of knowing the habits of his prey assisted him with the collecting of things that rabbits enjoyed eating. Clovers, nettle, lavender, sow’s thistle—things that made his nose wrinkle but was easy enough to acquire from the surrounding area. Once it was all said and done, he had a considerable pile of feed assembled at the base of a sturdy aspen tree. To further the irresistible draw of this scrumptious spread, Erik effortlessly scaled a nearby apple tree and plucked a singular specimen from its branches, the sheen of its crimson skin shining deliciously. Without any further preamble, it was crushed into juicy chunks that he allowed to fall to provide a sticky, sweet glaze for the vegetation before him.

There. A feast worthy of a king amongst rabbits.

Satisfied, the hybrid crawled up the tree to the thickest branch that would support his weight and stretched himself out along its length. Erik preferred stalking then chasing his prey, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t skilled with ambushing and using lures. The night was his friend and it often served to aid him by making it easy for his dark fur to blend effortlessly within the darkness. It almost made it too easy, thus influencing his preference for a good chase. Unfortunately, this wasn’t one of those times. 

Bright, sea-green hues became half-lidded in a mockery of rest while a tail drifted lazily in midair, wistful. Rabbits tended to be active during dusk and dawn so there would be some time before anything exciting decided to happen—if it did at all given the circumstances.

Yet Erik’s confidence was hardly ever baseless, nor his intuition.

So, he waited.

Waited with all the patience and stillness of a seasoned hunter.

Waited till the very first rays of the sun began to creep over the horizon.

And sure enough, timid and cautious, a rabbit had poked its head from between two bushes, nose quivering and searching for a threat.

Erik didn’t move a muscle, even as predatory instinct was nearly salivating at the bit when the fluffy thing crept closer to his trap, no doubt wondering if this was indeed a spread without the shadow of death hanging over it. Exuding silent encouragement for this complacency, the feline remained comfortable and patient, nearly undetectable from his practiced stillness. Scent detection wouldn’t aid the creature this time; his scent was strong and prevalent all over his territory courtesy of his scent markers. It was usually too late by the time they detected him this way.

The hare fidgeted some more before finally giving in, unable to resist the temptation as it hopped towards the free meal, ears erect and alert without rest. 

Erik remained motionless, a single ear moving in the direction of a subtle, rhythmic sound that told him all the crucial information he needed to know. That his true prey had stumbled into his trap. His smile was rapacious, counting down in his mind as he predicted his prey's inevitable next action.

_ 3… _

_ 2… _

_ 1… _

A vicious snarl came from the bush to the left and a dog had leapt out from hiding to snag the herbivore. Predictably, the damned thing—his form was atrocious, and he was simply _ too loud _—missed his quarry, causing the creature to squeal in terror, hightailing it out of their with an impressive display of speed. Before the dog could give chase, Erik was already prepared for action, leaping precisely to where the dog had taken a running step to build up his speed. A yelp of terror and surprise tore from the beast's throat as he went down, struggling wildly as a knee dug into the bone directly beneath his shoulders while fingers wrapped dangerously around his throat. The fear scent emitting from him was almost enough compensation for letting a perfectly good rabbit get away.

_ Almost _.

“Lemme go you bloody cat! You’ll regret…messing with me!”

An empty threat if he’s ever heard one. Honestly, Erik wondered if anyone in Koios’s twisted family possessed even a shred of intelligence. It didn't seem likely. But a quick glance at shaggy brown hair and those floppy ears and he knew it was a dog from that alpha’s pack. Fairly young—younger than him even. Beta too merely from how he averted direct eye contact, despite the spitting and cursing. All and all, prey that would do very little to entertain him. Having no other option, the mutt would just have to do for now.

The hybrid placed his free hand on the canine’s heaving sides, blinking back annoyance as the struggles renewed, both knowing that it was futile and just a waste of energy. “You're going to tell me what I want to know and maybe I won't kill you, okay?”

It wasn't a question. The dog scoffed; teeth bared but not at him. Maybe because he couldn’t exactly turn his head 360 degrees to face him. “Fuck you!”

The only warning the pinned beast had was a soft click of the tongue before Erik began to viciously dig his fingers into the space between his ribs, whatever scream he could make staying captured in his throat when the digits about his throat _ squeezed _. The very real threat of asphyxiation made those yellow eyes bulge in their sockets and the sounds that managed to slip through were pitiful. The only thing he got in return from his tormentor was a coy grin, all gleaming fangs and malicious intent.

“Are you going to play nice now or do you need some more time to consider?” The question was soft; the threat clear as day as the dog wheezed and coughed, the death grip about his throat receding. The descent between his ribs ceased but the four, bloody holes were unmistakable.

“What…what do you want?”

Erik snorted at the blatant irony in the question, sniffing at the blood on his fingers. How foul. “What do I want? Shouldn’t I be asking you that question? You damn dogs are running around where you shouldn’t. It's pissing me off. Give me a good reason why I shouldn’t kill you?”

The dog growled something intelligible, something that sounded vaguely like an insult. When he spoke, it was through gritted teeth and a shaky voice still rife with pain. “Big Brother says your evil and a monster. You killed…killed our brother. So, we get revenge. Kill your prey and make you suffer!”

Erik suspected as much; this information was nothing new. “How many of you are there?”

Here, the dog fell into a fearful silence.

So, Erik repeated the process again.

Repeated it till his fingers had disappeared into the beta’s flesh; till it swallowed his knuckles and the dog's throat was a myriad of blue, black and red. He made sure the light of life was still in those eyes, made sure there was some retention of consciousness. Even when the mutt was reduced to a state of babbling a litany of “pleases” and “stop”, Erik remained cruelly detached. Nothing comprehensible spilled from lips. Nothing worth his time. Honestly, he was beginning to get bored and that was a danger in itself.

“I’m going to ask you again. How many of you are there?”

Blank eyes stared up at him from a face lying in a pool of its own drool, but the fear and hatred there was unequivocal. The beast was loyal to a fault—a product of his pedigree and truthfully, Erik was torn between admiration and irritation. Deciding to switch tactics, making sure to keep his knee embedded in that quivering back, Erik grabbed the dog’s arm and brought it as far up as uncomfortably possible—until he could hear the resistance in the bone. The heartbeat of the one underneath him quickened as those eyes widened, detecting a sudden spike of fear in those pheromones. The satisfaction that brought his olfactory senses was surprising, stimulating the predator in him to where he could hardly stifle back a sigh of enjoyment.

Felines were notorious for playing with their food. Erik was no exception and he wasn’t averse to making sure his victim understood this.

“Hey,” he began gently, falsely sympathetic, “I’m going to really hurt you unless you start talking.”

“Please…please don’t. I…don’t know.”

“Don’t know?” Parroted the hybrid lightly, cruelly. Slowly he began to push the captured limb further from him till the dog began to squirm underneath him in panic. “How don’t you know how many beasts make up your family? I think your lying. Or just an idiot. Either would be unfortunate, for you anyway.”

“N-No! Please!”

“You’re being a very bad dog, friend.”

An unmistakable grinding noise was heard as the ball joint rotated unnaturally in its socket, drowning out the pained, distorted noises destroyed by a distressed esophagus. A sick kind of fascination welled up within him, one that almost gave him pause, made him think that perhaps he was going too far. But this was war. This was necessary. 

Anything to protect his livelihood and the one that would be his mate was necessary.

The steel in verdant hues tempered accordingly as he took his time pushing the limits of a body being contorted in an unnatural way, contemplating how long a young mind could endure its mortal shell being put through such exquisite agony. The dog’s arm was nearly aligned with his head at this point—it could go further it could hurt _ more _—and he was listening with an eerie sort of detachment at the near hysteric fit the beta was in. He could smell the cloying aroma of blood drifting a hairs length underneath the skin, could recall with clarity the sound of muscle ligaments tearing while bones cracked. 

Still, the poor creature seemed reluctantly tight-lipped, anchored to the loyalty that must have been the cause of his reticence. It was admirable…and at the same time very foolish.

Leaning down till his breath tickled the fur on the dog’s twitching ear, Erik spoke in a dangerous whisper, nearly subdued by the piteous whimpers coming from underneath him. “I can tear your arm from your body, you know. It would be easy—like tearing a leaf in two. I would make it so you wouldn’t die from blood loss. That way you can burden your precious brother by being virtually a useless lump of meat for the rest of your life. I think he’d appreciate that...don’t you think?”

Strange the effect words have on someone in contrast to any physical torment, because one moment his victim was whimpering and crying, and the next he was nearly sobbing, _ pleading _. Pleads for mercy. Pleads for pity.

Erik smiled wanly. “Well?”

“18 of us…18. Used to be more…but…gone now. Gone.” It was hard to decipher that through the snot and the sorry state his vocal cords were in, but Erik prided himself on his keen hearing.

“I see. And does your brother know where my exact location is?”

“N-No,” a wretched moan then a broken sob, tears coloring the whites of his eyes a pinkish hue, “…j-just general…idea.”

That’s good. There were a couple of caves in the area—some he used for storage while others for throwing off any would-be trespassers. A healthy dose of paranoia was essential for survival. Among other things, of course, but it wouldn’t be fair of him to not acknowledge how being overtly wary of things saved his life. He was about to ask something else when a sharp, stinging scent nearly burned his nostrils, glancing down with disdain to see what the problem was. A snort of disgust and Erik was back to glaring at the pup’s face, a shade more irritated. 

Damned thing soiled himself. Perhaps it was time to finish up.

“Hey, you,” the body jerked at the suddenness of his voice, getting a distressed noise that he took as acknowledgment, “how many more of you are out here?”

“Jus...just me. A-Always one. B-Brother…always sends one. I wanna…go home. Please. Please…h-hurts.”

Erik made a face as if considering his words, knowing that there was a limit to what this mongrel knew and that any further inquiries would be a waste of time. At least from this one. If this dog had been telling the truth, then another beast will probably take his place the next day. Another opportunity for answers? Probably not. Something told him that Koios wasn’t the type to share his plans with anyone that wasn’t himself. The beast was crazier than a diseased rabbit and paranoid enough to put him to shame. Of course, this wasn’t proven, but intuition was a powerful thing.

Finally, releasing the victimized creature’s arm, Erik rose from his impromptu seat with his other hand still wrapped around the dog’s throat, bringing him to his feet as well. His arm hung at a sickening, distended angle, dangling uselessly at his side like a broken branch on a tree. It wouldn’t be much use to him—certainly not when it comes to disturbing the tranquility of his territory.

Stricken by terror and fear, the dog swallowed before imploring fearfully, “You g-gonna k-kill me now?”

A lithe tail flickered in amusement at the presumption. “Tempting, but no. I’m sure a wounded sibling is more burdensome than a dead one. Please tell your brother I’m very happy to send back any beast that trespasses again in a similar condition to yours. If he doesn’t like it, he’s free to challenge me himself.”

“Monster…” Seemed like a little of his previous rancor recovered. 

“Hardly. Now get out of here before I change my mind.”

A none too gentle shove later and the dog was lopping back once he came with an almost laughable gait, quenching the urge to chase the moment it arose. The whole ordeal had been exhausting and worked up his appetite. He had half a mind to track down that rabbit from earlier but eventually reasoned it would serve better as a meal when he truly needed it. They had enough stored meat to last them for a good while; long enough to come up with a solution to this problem. If need be, Erik was sure that old bear wouldn’t mind him hunting his lands again if he paid him with that sweet stuff he liked. Why the old beast was so enamored with that sickeningly sweet liquid was something he considered but never knew the answer too. He never asked because the ursine’s stories were rather long-winded and he’d rather not be grey by the time it was over.

Feeling in better spirits than he has been for the last week, Erik walked home with the sun warming his back and the sense that things were finally starting to come under his control again.

In no time at all, the feline was peeking through the entrance to his home—he would need to see to getting some covering at some point—and was surprised at the sight that greeted him. 

Leiss, in all his feathered glory, had taken to fixing them up some breakfast; meat was divided out on the two separate plates, one carrying more than the other which was assumed to be his. He was sitting at the fire pit where they had most of their meals, having presumably been waiting for his arrival given the almost shy yet expectant smile that illuminated his sharp visage when he saw Erik. A genuine and equally shy feeling of relief threaded through the bond between them, making the alpha's insides warm significantly at the prospect that Leiss had been concerned about his safety. It was…a wonderful feeling—one that couldn’t aptly be described by words alone, but it was there, and he didn’t ever want it to go away.

Erik crossed the space between them in record time, sitting next to him while ever so mindful of the continued slump of an injured wing. He let that set the distance between them because if it were up to him, there would be no distance at all.

“Hey, you're back. How did it go?” Leiss began conversationally, studying a piece of dried meat before beginning to nibble on it. He found it heartwarming that the other had waited for him to arrive before eating. It didn’t phase him that this was purely proper etiquette most likely—Erik liked to think in his favor when possible.

“I didn’t catch anything. And you seemed prepared for that going by,” a lazy gesture was made at their food, “all of this. No faith in my hunting skills?”

“I simply thought you would have worked up an appetite from your efforts.” A sliver of mischief dwelled in those amber eyes before it was gone like nothing had been amiss.

Erik’s smile was playful, easy. “Good call. I appreciate that.”

“You do smell differently though. Like…blood and fear. I can’t imagine you caught something just to scare it and let it go.”

Strange how close to the truth that was. It almost made Erik want to hide this particularly detail but ultimately realized it would be foolish to do so considering Leiss had already pointed it out. He just didn’t want him to worry needlessly. When he spoke again, his smile wasn’t really a smile anymore and his voice was hefty with the content of his words. “I ran into one of Koios’s siblings—don’t worry, I’m okay. That dog…eh, not so much. He told me some things after some…persuasion from my end.”

Thankfully, Leiss was kind—cautious? Squeamish?—enough not to ask him to elaborate on how he persuaded the dog. But his expression was serious and maybe a little contemplative. “What did you learn?”

“Nothing too exciting. I just learned how many dogs is in that pack of his; if he knows our location; and how many he sends out here at a time. Once again, nothing exciting.”

“Ah.” A pause, then, “You sure you’re not concerned?”

“Why should I be?”

“What if you encounter more than one dog next time? Enough to overwhelm you?”

Erik couldn’t suppress the chuckle that bubbled up in his chest at the thought. Overwhelm him? The moon falling out of the sky was more probable. “They won’t overwhelm me, promise.”

Leiss wasn’t entirely convinced. “Where is the basis for this confidence of yours? It's seriously unbelievable.”

“Just trust me. Everything’s going to be fine and I will take care of any beast that comes this way, okay? Just relax.”

“Erik…”

Said feline felt the inexplicable urge to pull the omega into his arms and chase away his doubts. _ Like a good alpha should _ , insisted his instincts in the back of his mind, causing his fingers to twitch. More than anything Erik wanted to heed this desire, wanted to smother Leiss against his chest and inhale that delicious omega scent from the source and drown in it. Taste it. Go _ mad _ from it. Every moment with the other was a test of control against his baser instincts and alpha disposition to the point where he feared he would snap at one point and do something regrettable. But their bond—when it had come into existence—had lessened the compulsory nature of his instincts, tempered it into something manageable, something that didn’t force him to nearly bite at himself in efforts to retain his sanity. 

It hurt so much. This fervent desire. This unending want. This need to mate, breed, and _ knot _ Leiss in his bed until he couldn’t move and was so full of his seed that it showed. Wrapped in the protection of his arms, cared for and given the affection that he deserved. It was his first experience with an omega now that he was a fully-grown alpha and he wished there was someone that could help. That could understand the reason why his thoughts were hardly conservative regarding the one he intended to mate. He even humored the idea of sharing this with the eagle himself, but the idea was laughable in how utterly _ disastrous _ that would be. Erik could imagine it now; the scornful accusation that would come for only helping him for this purpose; and the inevitable outcome of Leiss running away because his physical integrity would always be in danger from an inexperienced alpha.

And he couldn’t have that.

_ No, never _.

That still didn’t make it any easier though when he looked the eagle in his face and everything that tormented him came to the forefront at once with Leiss none the wiser. Those sharp amber eyes were scrutinizing his features, no doubt wondering why he had fallen into silence just now when they had been having a conversation. The urge to tell almost possessed his tongue, to say all the things he wanted to say, to tell him how he didn’t want him to go when his wing inevitable healed, that he belonged here, with him. But Erik was weak, and his confidence was superficial at times. His only saving grace here was the genuineness of his intentions to get Leiss to fall for him.

It was the only way to keep him here. To banish that horrible loneliness forever.

Not trying to let desperate imaginings compel him to do something stupid, Erik forced a grin on his face as he placed a comforting hand (at least he hoped it was) on Leiss’s shoulder, watching when that gaze’s scrutiny alleviated…if only a little. “Let’s talk about something else, hmm? Maybe about you? Yeah, that sounds good!”

That surprised the bird going from the raised eyebrows and unsure way he worried his bottom lip between his fangs. The alpha tried hard not get distracted by the action. “What about me?”

“I don’t know. Anything…oh! How about your home? Or things you like?”

It was one of those rare times where Erik got to see the eagle at a loss for words, absentmindedly tracing the smoothness of his plate that was divested of any food. He didn’t think it was such an odd question, contemplating whether he should rescind it when that light voice tickled his ears, hesitant, almost reserved.

“My home is in a forested area where the majority of the trees are densely packed together. They are all huge; enough that my kind has built homes upon them. It’s only accessible by flight or…climbing, I suppose. If you have the skill that is,” he added the last part with a scoff that was mildly pretentious, but Erik just took that as that avian pride of his.

“Are you implying I wouldn’t be able to visit?”

Hazel hues blinked demurely at him, but the subtle tug of his lips was telling all the same. “Well, you would certainly have to try your hardest. If you want, I could carry you.”

“I think I’ll pass.” A husky chuckle and then Erik was tilting his head, pure feline curiosity on his face. “Are you…the only male omega by chance?”

Leiss almost dropped his plate, frankly stunned for a moment before regaining his bearings, giving Erik a look akin to someone that had been asked an obvious question. “No? There’s a good deal of us I would think. That was a strange question, Erik. You make it sound like I’m the only male omega you’ve seen.”

“You are,” he admitted softly, almost reverently.

The blond was taken aback, mouth opening and closing before he stuttered a quick, “A-Are there none among you Earthwalkers?”

“No. Maybe your occasional alpha female but that’s it I think.”

“Alpha female—that exists?”

“Yes, is that strange?”

“No…I suppose not.”

It was entertaining to see how all this was affecting his companion who seemed like he was two steps away from being overwhelmed, lost in thought, mind working furiously. The alpha observed this silent introspection for a hot moment before he finished the rest of his food, enjoying the salty tang of the dried meat that was a bit tougher than what he was used to. Moose meat tended to be that way given their muscular physiology. The cuts were bigger too and he hardly needed anything pass a second helping (thankfully) so he was delighted to collect both their plates to clean them for later use.

“Do the omegas where you’re from hunt?”

Furry ears twitched at the question, glancing over his shoulder while his hands remained busy. “Yes. I would say everyone has a responsibility in contributing as much as possible—there isn’t really an enforced distinction when it comes to things that need to be done. You just do it if it’s required of you. Is that not how it’s like for you?”

“No, not really.”

There was a shadow of a follow up being hinted at the end of that sentence going from the hefty sigh accompanying it, a sense that he had more to say but was reluctant to do so. A myriad of tangled emotions could be felt from Leiss’s end of their bond, the complexity of it enough to give the hybrid pause. Should he ask? Should he try to decipher the emotions that were unconsciously being exposed to him? No, that would be ill-advised. It would be a direct violation against the bird’s wishes—an abuse of power. 

Fortunately enough, Erik didn’t have to make that decision because Leiss began to speak again with a peculiar edge of determination lacing his voice, prompting the feline to give him his full attention.

“Omegas,” he took a breath, willing himself to continue, “don’t normally do the things that alphas and betas are allowed to. A certain expectation is placed upon us—upon everyone to uphold the traditions that has been the foundation of our village. Omega’s are taught to hunt in case of emergencies but it's generally frowned upon to do so willingly. We are to prepare the kill for food caught by our mates and make use of its other parts to better assist the nest. We take care of the chicks and educate them. Everything else that needs to be done is handled by the betas and alphas. Well, betas don’t have leadership roles like the alphas, but they have more…_ privileges _ than an omega.”

The bitterness and resentment in his tone was palpable, resonating in their bond with such vividness that it felt like it was him experiencing everything Leiss was feeling. And with the feelings came an attached memory: a flash of anger at being denied the simple desire of hunting with a friend from a beast that had his eyes but was older; the hopelessness at having a mate chosen for him even if it was someone he’s known for a long time. Erik felt all these things because the omega felt them so strongly, their connection pulsing more vigorously than ever, fed by his desperation, by the unrighteousness of it all. It was a struggle not to let his pity filter through, knowing that it would be poorly received. Instead, he sent a steady stream of sympathy, pausing in his approach when the blond’s head snapped up, considering him with an odd expression.

“That sounds a bit rough. Do omega’s at least get to choose their mates?” Erik broached, resuming his seat next to the other, hoping his presence might have a pacifying effect on the omega.

The hard set of his shoulders did lose some of their tension as the eagle plucked a loose feather from his wing, running his thumb repeatedly over its downy soft edges. So entranced was he by seeing one so close, Erik almost missed the answer to the question.

“I guess if you want to call it a choice then I suppose, yes. An omega doesn’t get to leave the nest their born in until an alpha expresses their interest. At the sametime, another alpha can also express their interest in you, so therein lies your choice amongst the perspectives. You can’t _ not _ choose however.”

“That’s…” The words wouldn’t come, disbelief robbing him of coherency for a moment.

“Ugly?” Leiss finished with an enigmatic smile that said he knew all too well how it sounded. “It’s just how things are. Once the chieftain grants his approval of the pairing, then the courtship can begin.”

“Courtship?”

The fingers stroking the estranged finger stopped. “Yes, you know the period between potential mates dedicated to cultivating and cementing a bond. This usually includes building a nest together, spending time with one another, the mating flight…”

Fascinated, Erik echoed curiously, “Mating flight?”

Leiss flushed instantaneously and something suspiciously like embarrassment filtered through their bond, stoking the fire of the feline’s curiosity to max capacity. He refused to look at the alpha or even at his face for that matter, speaking low enough that it was difficult to hear him. “Its an intimate flight between two that marks the ending of the courtship. Your partner for life needs to be able to match you in air in perfect synchronicity. There isn’t a practice for it, so it comes completely from the heart and instinct. After its conclusion, it's usually followed by…ah…well, _ further _ intimacy.”

“Further intimacy?”

Once pale skin was another hue altogether as the bird whirled on him, his expression comically thunderous. “Why do I need to elaborate on that?”

“Easy. I’m not trying to ruffle your feathers.” The hybrid held up his hands in a conciliatory manner, grin no less teasing. “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”

“Good, because I’m not.”

Razzed as he was, Erik could tell there was no real heat to his words, still trying to recover from something that he thought to be embarrassing. To the alpha, it sounded like something he would’ve liked to take part off, if was as essential to Leiss's culture as it sounded. Being without the required appendages prohibited him from giving the musing proper credibility, so he would have to think of something else to substitute that custom. 

Letting his mind grow muddled with silly ideas and imaginings, Erik, without much consideration, said, “I don’t see why you would want to go back there. It's…so strict.”

He got a harsh look for his lack of tact. “It's my home, where I belong. And you can stand to respect that. Although,” slight shoulders slumped, a remnant of bitterness about them, “I certainly understand why you like being alone.”

“I don’t _ like _ being alone. It's why I want you to stay.”

Startled by his forwardness, Leiss didn’t say anything else. The return of that crimson hue was enough indication of how his words affected him however.

Baring fangs in a mock smirk, Erik leaned back until his back was met with the smoothness of the ground, arms folded behind his head. “Want to go do something? We still have daylight left.”

“Do something? What do you have in mind?”

“Yeah, I can show you how to hunt.”

He heard what sounded like feathers sweeping the ground then the audible pop off stiff joints finally getting much needed release. “I’m afraid I won’t be much use to you with this busted wing.”

Silliness. Erik sat up on his elbows, bemused. “You won’t need them. I’ll show you how to do it on the ground. What do you say?”

The temptation of his offer wasn’t without its appeal after all; Erik was an accomplished hunter in every sense of the word, and both could see this. His teaching skills were untested however, but he was sure he had enough patience to spare.

After a moment of reflecting on the proposition, a tentative nod was his reply and Erik was on his feet faster than it took to blink, body sizzling with energy. His mind already conjured up an image of the rabbit he seen earlier, finding that it would be good practice, provided that they didn’t kill it. Poor thing probably was at its wits end with predators today. At least it would get to keep its life this time.

Signaling with a flick of his wrist to follow, Erik was soon leading them down a different path than normal, enjoying the silence of his territory and the lighter patter of the eagle following closely behind. Quiet as he was, there was no mistaking the contagious thrum of anticipation threading like electricity through their bond, sparking a reactionary curl of pleasure from his tail. If only everyday could be like this; just the two of them, doing whatever they so please, unhindered by the rules of their respective homes. Well in Erik’s case it was his past but that was neither here nor there. 

Having found a good enough place to stop, Erik took an analytic glance at the surrounding area to make sure it was decent enough for what he had in mind. The area wasn’t anything special; a meadow that was home to a multitude of flora and fauna, usually teeming with wildlife grazing, pollinating insects and courtship displays (in warmer seasons). It was extremely popular for rabbits to shelter here so the area was rife with hare barrows, enough that it was common to trip over a hole or two if you were caught unaware. It was here that he perfected outwitting his prey, having no trees and very little bushes to rely on to set up ambushes. To this day his muscles recalled such trying times, burning in remembrance at days where he was unsuccessful and went hungry as a result.

Ah, how long he's come from being that unfledged cub.

“What can you smell? What can you hear? What are your senses telling you right now?” Inquired the alpha, turning on his silent pupil who had been enjoying the wind exposure brought.

“Everything. This place is teeming with life, but I suspect they are hiding. I can hear a vole tunneling not far away from us and a wood mouse chewing on a petal. I can even see,” Leiss focused his gaze elsewhere, “a rabbit crouching amongst a circle of wildflowers. It hasn’t left yet.”

Erik was impressed, more so because he couldn’t quite see the rabbit Leiss had located even though he was looking in the exact same direction. “Bird vision is definitely as impressive as they say.”

Leiss visibly preened at the compliment. “It's better in the air. There isn’t much that can escape my eye.”

“Well now you’re on the ground with me,” Erik pointed out not unkindly, getting back on topic. “Now that you've gathered information about your surroundings and your chosen prey. How are you going to acquire it?”

Confused, golden brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“You have a couple of options. You can approach the rabbit as stealthily as you can given that there is nowhere to hide. But that option would require nearly no noise on your part; to make sure you’re not downwind so it isn’t startled by the approach of your scent; and for it not to see it. I wouldn’t advise it unless you were absolutely certain you could approach it by meeting all those requirements.”

As if understanding them, the rabbit stood up on its hind-legs, pink noise quivering.

“Then what else is there? I don’t think I would be able to get close without practice.”

The smirk that twisted the alpha’s lips was downright devilish. “Run it down.”

Leiss took a step back, dumbfounded. “P-Pardon?”

“Chase it down. Run after it. You’ll either catch it or you won’t.”

“I thought you were going to teach me how to hunt? This is—”

“How you do it on the ground,” Finished the alpha with a growling intensity behind his words, arms crossed in the image of an uncompromising force. “Even with the luxury of coverage, there is a high chance you will have to chase your prey. There are no unsuspecting attacks from the air here. If you want to eat, you chase down your prey and kill it. If you aren't fast or strong enough, you don’t eat and you die. That’s all there is to it.”

Was that doubt he felt emitting from their bond? If so, it hadn’t been his intention to dissuade Leiss from even trying or even making it sound more complicated than it was. Sure, there was a critical element here—success generally—because he meant what he said that if you fail, you didn’t eat. Granted, their situation was unusual. Erik could understand that Leiss was accustomed to using his wings to assist him with this. And back where he came from, hunting parties were usually created to yield better results. Not to mention that non-flying beast such as himself were naturally adapted to being faster on the ground; it wouldn’t be fair to expect Leiss to produce similar results. Then there was that broken wing too… Perhaps this wasn’t turning out to be such a good idea after all.

On the cusp of just dismissing the whole idea—his expectations were unrealistic he realized—Erik opened his mouth to say something lighthearted when Leiss beat him to it, having missed the quiet determination that had been silently overtaking the doubt.

“Essentially, I just need to catch it, right?”

Delightfully surprised, he couldn’t really control how his face split from ear to ear. “Pretty much. The rabbit will likely retreat into its burrow so maybe try to grab it before it does? A good running start will aid you more than you think.” Erik took a step back until his back was leaning against the bark of a tree, crossing his arms in a display of laziness at not having to take part in a hunt for once, taken the role of observer. Leiss seemed at a loss by this lack of guidance, gaze split between the rabbit who had taken to sampling a petal and the feline who was taking a hands-off approach for this part of the instruction.

Erik winked sportively at him, his grin all but roguish. “Rabbit isn’t going to catch itself, my friend.”

Leiss turned his back on him with the slightest bit of attitude before he took a couple of steps forward, taking a moment to assess his prey and come up with a plan of action. To be blunt, the bird was thinking too much about it which would only serve to slow him down. The beast was already at a disadvantage as is and Erik didn’t want to see him fail in such a way to discourage him permanently from trying again. Finding the right words, he spoke again, hoping that it would resonate with the other in a meaningful way.

“Leiss, when it comes down to it, when your chasing that rabbit and your blood is singing in your veins, it will be just pure instinct guiding your body. Don’t be afraid to let your instincts take charge. Just enjoy it, the thrill of the hunt, the scent of prey calling to you. Clear your mind of doubt and arbitrary things. Do you understand?”

The nod and the feeling of gratitude that shot true and strong between them was evidence enough that his advice was well-received.

Content, Erik looked on as his wayward charge went through the necessary mental preparation to get his mind to where it needed to be—in total clarity. He adopted a stance, one that almost caused him to visibly cringe at the ungainliness of it but quickly reasoned it was justified to cater to not aggravating his broken wing. It was more maneuverable than before, less painful, less awkward the alpha noticed with some concern. Leiss was getting better every day; how long did he have till he made a full recovery and leave him forever?

Pushing those troubling thoughts aside (for now), he focused solely on his supervisory duties once Leiss took off into a sprint, each step telling him how much his body was not used to this. His acceleration was on a lesser level than when Erik was an adolescent; his form was sloppy and irregular, leading to the expenditure of more precious energy than necessary; and his breathing wasn’t regulated correctly—at least not for running. The eagle was trying to approach running as if it was flying which was two completely different things. To make matters worse, it would seem Leiss’s target had picked up on its purser lack of experience (because prey animals seemed to have a seventh sense for these things) and was running near literal circles around him, sparing no effort to dodge and weave between his legs. 

If Erik didn’t know any better, it almost looked like they were _ playing _.

Running a hand through the disheveled mess that was his hair, Erik got extra comfortable against the coarse bark of the tree, knowing they were going to be here awhile. Having nothing else to engage his time, he began to count every blade of grass that he could.

Starting from the one he was stepping on.

_ 1...2...3...4... _

By the time Erik was on his fifth hundred blade of grass, dusk was proceeding the sunset and his mind had taken on a mushy consistency, taking in the state of his pupil to check his progress. No small measure of affection permeated his body at the sight of the omega pushing himself tirelessly after another hare—this one younger and sprier than the last couple that has dodged him for some time. Even though the odds were stacked against him and his body was surely aching from the strain, Leiss was still trying to exceed his limits, trying to succeed and experience the pleasure of achieving something that had been difficult to acquire. Through the tiredness and frustration that he could feel from the other; past thoughts of wanting to quit; there was no greater feeling than the simple joy of the hunt. Of being a predator. Of hearing your blood pound in your veins as everything else was made unimportant.

And even as the hybrid knew that Leiss would not be taking home anything tonight, he was satisfied enough knowing that the other was experiencing everything he had tried to impart to him earlier. There would be other days to practice, more days to strengthen muscles and fine-tune his finesse.

Deciding that it was time to go back home, the feline stretched lithely to get the blood flowing (he really hadn't moved much), about to call the bird’s name when he paused as…the rabbit veered sharply in his direction with Leiss hot on its trial. So focused was he on the target before him, the bird had yet to notice him, realizing that they were about too—

“Leiss look—_ oof _!”

The rabbit had darted between his legs and a body collided with his, sending them crashing to the ground, a cascade of yellow petals scattering into the air.

Concern outweighed the mild dizziness that stunned him, concern for the eagle who had shakily pushed himself up till his arms were his only pillar of support, sun-kissed locks obscuring his face. Erik hastily adjusted until his weight was supported by his elbows, fingers suspended halfway en-route to a pale face, the bird’s name apprehensive on his lips, “Leiss…”

The eagle looked up.

Erik felt all his mental facilities shutdown all at once.

A pale face was flushed feverishly with red; pink lips parted and moist; eyes dilated pools of black sin with no trace of that composed creature left. Every concerned thought Erik had vanished in an instant as instinct forced every sense his body had to attune to the wavelength of the other, increasing his awareness to a hypersensitivity that was downright painful. The sweet, deadly scent of omega meshed splendidly with the aroma of Leiss’s personal scent; leaving his mind in shambles; his lungs subsisting on nothing else—_ craving _ nothing else. He could hear and feel the staccato thud of a heartbeat even though fair skin, could feel it dictate the pulse and throb of their bond, a call, a call for him. All sense of being faded away, this clearing and all the life in it until it was just them luxuriating in each other’s presence, on the metaphysical plane their souls created just for them. 

Nothing else mattered. Not Koios. Not silly families and customs that held little meaning.

_ Just this. Just them. _

The feeling was overwhelmingly mutual; it washed over Erik as a wave of sensation that triggered every nerve in his body, causing him to growl huskily in his throat, the very epitome of want and desire. Those eyes, those eyes of molten, shimmering gold, were gazing at him with helpless, uncontrolled want, omega pheromones on a crusade to destroy every shred of self-control that he possessed till he was a broken mess of instinct. He could see it, the silent primitive message reflecting on their surfaces, enslaving him with temptation.

_ Take me. Make me howl for you. Alpha please _.

_ Yesyesyesyesyes— _

He wanted all those things and more. Wanted to be one with him till flesh ceased to be and there was nothing in this world that could separate them. Wanted to place his mark against those tortuous scent glands so all would know of his claim—so all would know Leiss belonged to him and _ only him _. His fingers shook from the result of all his whims and desires, unable to stop himself from caressing the side of a flushed face, touching the curious feathers nestled behind a slightly pointed ear. The moan he received was oozing carnal sin; maliciously ripping at the remaining threads of his sanity, a chorus of madness trailing behind. 

_ Claim him. Breed him. Yours. All yours— _

Erik was all _ yesyesyesyes _ to the alpha madness taking over, inching closer to those parted, sinfully beckoning lips till their breaths were mingling in the space between them, till the taste of those lips would no longer be a fitful imagining. 

_ So gorgeous. Such a beautiful omega. A perfect mate for his cubs _.

The silent encouragement from their bond was blinding, convincing him to claim those lips because he was all _ yesandwantanddesire— _

The sky grumbled once, and the spell was broken by a sudden downpour of rain.

The wet and the cold that immediately followed was jarring enough to force Leiss back to his senses, blinking rapidly in confusion before he took stock of what was going on and scurrying back as if burned. The apologies that spilled from his lips spread like wildfire, unable to look the feline in the eye who sat there reeling from the having the spell-like moment between them shattered so abruptly. The ghost sensation of having that mouth so close to his own caused him to absentmindedly trace the seam of his lips, the bird to inflaming even more if possible at the display. The bond between them grew quiet, mulish almost, as if it too suffered over what could’ve been before nature intervened.

“I’m sorry Erik. I don’t know what came over me, I—” Leiss trialed off with a forceful shut of his eyes, communication still too much for him as he dealt with the aftereffects of something they both didn’t quite understand. His slender body shivered, a single wing coming in close to prevent further warmth from being sapped from his being. 

An instinctual urge to comfort the omega almost caused him to do something inappropriate in light of what just occurred, for once uncertain how to decipher what Leiss was feeling. Did he regret what just occurred between them? Or did he regret that it was over? Erik desperately wanted to ask this, but he knew that neither of them were in the right mind to dissect what just happened, what instinct instructed them to do—_ no _ , what the bond _ compelled _ them to do. Instead, through the wet coldness of the rain and his own confused feelings, Erik offered his hand in assistance to the eagle. His expression was complex, but he hoped it was still forthcoming.

“Its okay, I understand. Why don’t we go back before it gets worse?”

Leiss stared at his hand, almost like he didn’t trust himself or trust anymore further contact between them. The reluctance made the feline’s heart hurt but he was not sure why, just glad when slender digits wrapped around his own. An echo of heat sizzled between them, a warning for the inferno that had consumed them twice now. 

The hastiness in which the omega severed their contact didn’t go unnoticed. “Y-Yeah, that sounds good.”

“Leiss?”

“Yes?”

Erik tried to find the right words to redeem the situation because something felt _ off _—just a little—but his mind was coming up blank. “Uh…you did good today. Great effort, really!” 

_ Smooth Erik _.

Something minute flashed in those amber hues before he got a curt nod, seemingly distracted, distant. “Thank you. Maybe I’ll catch something next time.” Was that disappointment just now? At not catching the rabbit or…?

Erik wanted to _ howl _ his frustration.

The situation was bizarre; his feelings were askew; their bond offered no insight; and Leiss was already walking in the other direction. He didn’t know what to do or how to proceed and he was haunted by the very possibility that maybe he should have addressed the situation for once instead of letting it be. 

Because he was sure, without an inkling of a doubt, even if Leiss was decidedly removed from the whole thing, once fair skin still carried the tint of a pinkish hue and the remnants of want could still be tasted in his scent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know your thoughts. Till next time!

**Author's Note:**

> If you like it, want to see more, and maybe just a tad bit curious as to where this is going, let me know!


End file.
